Sakai Hōitsu

Hoitsu Sakai (1761-1829) was a painter active in the late Edo period. He was the younger brother of Tadayoshi Sakai, lord of Himeji Castle. His childhood name was Eihachi, and his first name was Chuin. In addition to Houichi, he also went by the names Tokoryu and Ukaan. At the age of 37, he was ordained at Nishi Honganji Temple. He was ordained at Nishi Honganji Temple at the age of 37, and thereafter took the name “Hoitsu” for the rest of his life.
In addition to the Kano school, he mastered ukiyoe beauty paintings under Utagawa Toyoharu, Western-style paintings, the Nagasaki school, and the painting styles of the Maruyama and Shijo schools, as well as Jakuchu.
He was particularly influenced by Korin Ogata, and in 1815, on the 100th anniversary of Korin’s death, he published “Ogata Style Inkpad” and “Korin Hyakusu” (One Hundred Drawings of Korin).
He was the person who completed the Edo Rimpa school with its grace and simplicity, interpreting the gorgeous decorative painting techniques in the Edo style.