The distinctive style of Japanese art known as Rinpa embraces bold, graphic renderings of natural motifs and formalized depictions of fictional characters, poets, and sages. An aesthetic that arose in Japan in the 16th century and flourished until modern times, the Rinpa school is celebrated for its use of lavish pigments and its references to traditional court literature and poetry. Central to the Rinpa aesthetic is the evocation of the natural world—especially animals and plants with literary connotations—as well as eye-catching compositions that cleverly integrate calligraphy and image.
Featuring beautiful color reproductions of some ninety works—including painting, calligraphy, printed books, textiles, lacquerware, ceramics, and cloisonné—from the Metropolitan Museum of Art and other notable public and private collections, Designing Nature traces the development of Rinpa, highlighting the school's most prominent proponents and, for the first time, the influence of this quintessential Japanese style on modern design aesthetics in both the East and the West.

Designing Nature: The Rinpa Aesthetic in Japanese Art

Arts & Photography

Carpenter, John T.

History & Criticism

Metropolitan Museum of Art

Over-sized hardback book with dust jacket titled THE FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT COLLECTION OF SURIMONO by Joan B. Mirviss. Published by Weatherhill in 1995. (LL-9-top) rareviewbooks

The Frank Lloyd Wright Collection of Surimono

Mirviss, Joan B.

WRIGHT, Frank Lloyd

Los Angeles County Museum of Art

Phoenix Art Museum

Collections, Catalogs & Exhibitions

Weatherhill

Shows and describes Edo-period art, including screens, armor, woodblock prints, pottery, and kimonos

Edo, Art in Japan 1615-1868

Singer, Robert T.

National Gallery Of Art (u.s.)

Natl Gallery of Art

Public Spectacles, Personal Pleasures: Four Centuries of Japanese Prints from a Cincinnati Collection

Spangenberg, Kristin L.

Hockley, Allen

Cincinnati Art Museum

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

The Poetry of Nature offers an in-depth look at more than 40 extraordinary Japanese paintings that represent every major school and movement of the Edo period, including Kano, Rinpa, Nanga, Zen, Maruyama-Shijō, and Ukiyo-e. The unifying theme is a celebration of the natural world, expressed in varied forms, from the bold, graphic manner of Rinpa to the muted sensitivity of Nanga. Among the artists whose works are included are Ike Taiga (1723–1776), Maruyama Ōkyo (1733–1795), and Sakai Hōitsu (1761–1828). John T. Carpenter looks specifically at the intertwinement of painting and poetry, a Japanese artistic tradition that reached new heights during the Edo period. In addition to new readings and translations of Japanese and Chinese poems, Carpenter sheds light on the ways in which Edo artists used verse to transform their paintings into a hybrid literary and visual art.

The Poetry of Nature: Edo Paintings from the Fishbein-Bender Collection

A comprehensive exploration of the rich visual culture inspired by the exceptional 11th-century literary masterpiece, from early screen paintings through contemporary manga With its vivid descriptions of imperial society, gardens, and architecture in early 11th-century Japan, The Tale of Genji—recognized as the world’s first psychological novel—has captivated audiences around the globe and inspired artistic traditions for 1,000 years. This handsomely designed and illustrated book explores the outstanding art associated with Genji through in-depth essays and discussions of nearly 120 works. TheTale of Genji has influenced all forms of Japanese artistic expression, from intimately scaled albums and fans to boldly designed hanging scrolls and screen paintings by the most esteemed artists and calligraphers of every school and era. Scenes from the tale adorn decorative objects used in everyday life, including robes, lacquer boxes, containers for grooming tools and writing implements, incense burners, and even palanquins for transporting young brides to their new homes. The authors, both art historians and Genji scholars, discuss the tale’s transmission and reception over the centuries; illuminate its place within the history of Japanese literature and calligraphy; highlight its key episodes and characters; and explore its wide-ranging influence on Japanese culture, design, and aesthetics into the modern era.

The Tale of Genji: A Japanese Classic Illuminated

McCormick, Melissa

The Three Perfections: Japanese Poetry, Calligraphy, and Painting

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Books by Carpenter, John T.