Sakai H itsu was one of the most prominent painters of late 18th- and early 19th-century Japan, known for technical bravura, arresting compositions, and striking use of color. After becoming a Buddhist monk, H itsu was able to dedicate himself to painting, establishing a studio and studying the work of Ogata K rin (1658 1716). H itsu successfully revived the earlier artist's style, which later came to be known as Rimpa, "the school of K rin."
The first book in English to focus exclusively on the work of this important artist, Silver Wind examines fifty-eight of H itsu's works and those of his predecessors and artistic heirs, ranging from scrolls and screens to fans, lacquer, and woodblock-printed books. Accompanying essays explore H itsu's discovery and reinterpretation of K rin's artistic legacy; the aesthetics of the Rimpa style; and the career of Suzuki Kiitsu, his leading student.