Japanese Maple and Autumn Plants

Object Details

• Artist

  Sakai Oho (1808-1841)

• Description

  A stately maple tree stands on the right, adorned with colorful red leaves on the branches above and near the roots. On the ground, suggested by the subtle greyish trace of a pool of ink, are typical autumn plants: Maiden Flower, or ominaeshi, chrysanthemum, or kiku, thorned vine with red fruit, and a single fallen ginko leaf.

• Label

  Simple, dramatic arrangements of natural motifs and innovative arrangements of color are hallmarks of the style of Japanese art that has been known since the late nineteenth century as Rimpa. As in this painting, Rimpa artists paid close attention to the visual contrast of natural motifs to open space and of brilliant applications of color with clear, sharp contours to softer gradations of tone produced by color and ink washes. The artist Sakai Oho was adopted as a successor to the painter Sakai Hoitsu (1761–1828). Hoitsu's study and publication of designs by the brothers Ogata Korin (1658–1716) and Ogata Kenzan (1663–1743) were instrumental in reviving interest in these artists and in the Rimpa style of painting and design in the nineteenth century.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Bold and Beautiful: Rinpa in Japanese Art (June 28, 2015 to January 3, 2016)

  Artists of Edo (November 19, 2005 to May 29, 2006)

  More Than Flowers: Sources of Tradition in Japanese Painting (September 2, 2001 to November 24, 2002)

  Autumn Colors (October 19 to December 20, 1984)

  Japanese Art—Autumn Voices (October 14, 1981 to December 16, 1981)

  Birds and Flowers of the Four Seasons in Japanese Art (September 14, 1977 to April 8, 1978)

• Origin

  Japan

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Painting

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

  There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

  The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The National Museum of Asian Art welcomes information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1700s, 1710s, 1720s, 1770s, 1780s, 1790s, 1730s, 1740s, 1750s, 1760s, 1800s, 1810s, 1820s, 1830s, 1610s, 1650s, 1640s, 1630s, 1620s, 1840s, 1690s, 1680s, 1850s, 1670s, 1860s, 1660s

• Name

  Sakai, Oho

• Place

  Japan

• Topic

  Trees, Art, Autumn, Edo period, Japan, (1600 - 1868), Japanese Art, Flowers, Kakemono

• Culture

  Japanese

• Object Type

  Paintings