The term Rinpa 琳波 (also spelled 'Rimpa') is a misnomer, for it refers to the artist Korin , literally meaning '[Ko]rin's School'. Korin (1658-1716) and his brother, the Zen monk Kenzan (1663-1753), worked together but never considered themselves a school per se.

What are the aesthetics of Rinpa?

•  bright, softly colored and evocative works

•  tarashi-komi or water dropped onto paint before it is dry. This creates a marbled effect

•  always treat classic themes, inspired by history, but not by its battles or political events so much as by the poems and legends of cultural history—they APPEAL TO CULTURAL HISTORY

•  From the first, Rinpa spanned both fine and applied arts, indeed the division between these two 'levels' has never been so strong in Japan as in the West. Rinpa's objective was to infuse daily life with the aura of old culture, and this was thought best done by surrounding oneself with elegant things. Koetsu's family were hereditary sword appraisers, and Kenzan was a potter. Much Rinpa is to be found in works other than painting.

Who is identified with the Rinpa “school?”

KÔRIN (1658-1716) 光琳

Irises, a pair of 6-panel byobu folding screens.   C. 1701.   Color, gold leaf, paper; each screen 60 x 133 in.   [Mason, fig. 365]

Red and White Plum Blossoms, a pair of two-panel folding screen.   C. 1710-1716.   Color and gold and silver leaf on paper, each screen 62 x 68 in. [Mason, fig. 366]

Box decorated with fan paintings .   Color on paper, applied to lacquer on wood with gold-leaf ground; H: 7 1/2 in. [Mason, fig. 364]

KENZAN (1663-1753) 乾山

Tea bowl with paintings of red and white plum blossoms, c. 1730s (fig. 343)

Set of food dishes.   Early 18th century.   Stoneware with underglaze iron and cobalt blue and overglaze enamel decoration. (fig. 342)

Kôrin and Kenzan modeled their work on that of artists from the previous generation, Sotatsu and Koetsu.

SÔTATSU (active late 17th- early 17th c) 宗達

Deer scroll.   c. 1615.   Ink, gold, silver paint on paper; H: 13 in.   [Mason, fig. 309] COLLABORATION WITH KOETSU.

God of Thunder and God of Wind.   After 1621.   Color and gold and silver paint on paper; each screen 59 x 70 in. [Mason, fig. 312]

Matsushima screens, pair of 6-panel byôbu.   Ink, color, gold leaf on paper; each screen 60 x 140 1/2 in.   [Mason, fig. 311].

KÔETSU (1558-1637) 光悦

•  Calligrapher

•  Potter (example of raku tea bowl called “Mt Fuji”, fig. 288)