“A little bird on a plum tree”

Sakai Hōitsu (1761-1829) was a painter of the late-Edo period.

He was the little brother of Sakai Tadazane, who was the owner of Himeji Castle in Hyōgo prefecture. Tadazane was known as a tea artist and a poet.
He bacame a monk at Nishi Honganji Temple when he was 37 years old. After that, he was called Hōitsu.
His art style is based on the methods of Itō Jakuchū and also some European artworks.
He was really influenced by Ogata Kōrin, who was a painter of the Rinpa school.