Background
Tawaraya Sotatsu was born in 1576. According to records available, some say he was born in Noto, while others aver that his place of birth was Kaga (Ishikawa Prefecture), though he is said to have stayed at Kyoto for most of his life.
- Photos
- Works
- Photos
- Works
painting
Anthology with Cranes
(Anthology with Cranes is a handscroll decorated by Sōtats...)
Anthology with Cranes is a handscroll decorated by Sōtatsu using silver and gold pigment, with calligraphy by Hon'ami Kōetsu.
Wind God and Thunder God
(Wind God and Thunder God is a pair of two-folded screens ...)
Wind God and Thunder God is a pair of two-folded screens made using ink and color on gold-foiled paper.
The ripple effect of waves
painting
Making Waves
Waves at Matsushima
Tawaraya Sotatsu
Edit Profile俵屋 宗達
also known as
Nonomura
Education
He studied painting of the Tosa school and later originated a style of his own which came to be known as the Karin school.
Career
Sōtatsu began to work as a fan-painter in Kyoto. Later, he rose to work for the court as a producer of fine decorated papers for calligraphy. He was highly influenced by Kyoto’s courtly culture.
Sōtatsu met the great designer and calligrapher Hon'ami Koetsu, and painted under-designs in gold and silver for his writing. He excelled in projects that needed careful placing of decorative screens and fans, and took this to its highest level. He pioneered a new boldness of color and line.
He is also credited with co-founding the Rinpa school of Japanese painting, together with Kōetsu. Rinpa was not strictly a school, but a group of artist directly influenced by Sōtatsu and Kōetsu. Some of the most notable Rinpa artists are Ogata Kōrin (1658-1716), Ogata Kenzan (1663-1743) and Sakai Hōitsu (1761-1828).
Achievements
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He popularized a technique called tarashikomi, which was carried out by dropping one color onto another while the first was still wet. Sōtatsu also developed an original style of monochrome painting, where the ink was used sensuously, as if it were color. Among his best works are the illustrated covers he painted for the Lotus Sutra.
Works
painting
