Hollyhocks [left of a pair of Plum Trees and Hollyhocks] by Ogata Kenzan 尾形乾山

Hollyhocks [left of a pair of Plum Trees and Hollyhocks] c. 18th century

natural stone pattern

abstract painting

water colours

pottery

japan

handmade artwork painting

tile art

painting painterly

watercolour bleed

earthenware

watercolor

Ogata Kenzan, a prominent Japanese artist of the Edo period, created this six-panel screen, "Hollyhocks [left of a pair of Plum Trees and Hollyhocks]," around the 18th century. The screen features a delicate and vibrant depiction of hollyhocks, their pink and white blossoms set against a backdrop of lush green leaves and a golden ground. The intricate detail and refined brushwork are characteristic of Kenzan's style, and the composition of the screen showcases his masterful ability to balance realism with artistic expression. This work, now housed at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, embodies the beauty and elegance of traditional Japanese art, offering a glimpse into the rich floral imagery and decorative sensibility of the Edo era.

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minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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Ogata Kenzan is best known as a potter, but he was also a successful painter, especially after moving from Kyoto to Edo in his late sixties. Kenzan was the younger brother of painter Ogata Kōrin, from whom the decorative Rinpa school takes its name—rin from Kōrin paired with pa, meaning “school.” On a ground of gold leaf, Kenzan presents red and white camellias blooming on a small hillock below a large plum tree at right and, at left, pink, white, and red hollyhocks. With this placement of the motifs, Kenzan turned the folded surface of the screen into a vital component of the composition.