Irises

Irises, a pair of painted six-panel gold-ground folding screens created in the early 18th century by Japanese artist Ogata Kōrin. It is among the most influential and iconic examples of Japanese painting.

Kōrin was born into a wealthy family, who owned a textile shop in Kyōto that was patronized by the high-status ladies of the city. Kōrin was influenced by the tradition that the artists Hon’ami Kōetsu and Sōtatsu had developed at the artistic community Takagamine, where his grandfather was a member. After having squandered his considerable inheritance, Kōrin made his living by designing textiles, screens, lacquerwork, and ceramics, becoming a respected artist.

Irises is a symbolic representation of a scene from the “Yatsuhashi” (“Eight-Plank Bridge”) of the Ise monogatari (“Tales of Ise”), a compilation of lyrical episodes written in the Heian period. In this episode, the protagonist wandering by the eight-plank bridge sees the irises and is inspired to speak a romantic poem. By removing the hero and the bridge central to the tale from his depiction, Kōrin created a rhythmic composition based on repetition in an almost abstract manner. The flowers are painted in mokkotsu style, without ink outlines.

Kōrin made a number of drawings of nature from life, but in his paintings objects are often reduced to the essence, presented in flat and simplified designs. Kōrin reworked the decorative style and the yamato-e themes employed by Sōtatsu, whose paintings Kōrin copied to learn the techniques. Kōrin’s art inspired many later artists, notably including Sakai Hōitsu and Vincent van Gogh.