Tawaraya Sōtatsu
Japanese painter and co-founder of the Rinpa school.
Tawaraya Sōtatsu (c. 1570–1640) was a Japanese painter and furniture designer, credited as a co-founder of the Rinpa school alongside Hon'ami Kōetsu. Rinpa was not a formal school but a group of artists directly influenced by Sōtatsu and Kōetsu, including later figures such as Ogata Kōrin, Ogata Kenzan, and Sakai Hōitsu. Sōtatsu is best known for his decorations of calligraphic works by Kōetsu and for his spectacular byōbu folding screens, such as the National Treasures *Wind God and Thunder God* and his paintings of the Sekiya and Miotsukushi chapters from *The Tale of Genji*. He also popularized the tarashikomi technique, where a second layer of paint is applied before the first layer dries.
Little is known of Sōtatsu’s early life. The painter Tani Bunchō later claimed he was from Noto and studied under Sumiyoshi Jokei in Kyoto; his family name may have been Nonomura. In 1602, he was hired to repair 12th-century sutra scrolls at Itsukushima shrine, his earliest attributed work already showing his characteristic style. Around 1606, his first confirmed collaboration with Kōetsu occurred on the Sagabon project, producing elaborate printed books. Sōtatsu married a cousin of Kōetsu and opened a shop in Kyoto called Tawaraya, selling fans, screens, kimono patterns, and other decorated objects. Their partnership ended around 1620, after which Sōtatsu focused more on painting. In 1621, he decorated doors and screens at Yōgen-in temple, and in 1630 he received the title hokkyō, the third-highest rank for Buddhist artists. He likely died around 1640. His masterwork, *Waves at Matsushima* (1620s), is highly regarded, and his collaborative handscroll *Anthology with Cranes* is praised for its cutting-edge originality. Though not famous in his lifetime, Sōtatsu is now the second-most recognized Japanese painter by number of inclusions in the National Treasures list.
- field
- Furniture designer and painter
- nationality
- Japanese
- known_for
- Decorations of calligraphic works by Hon'ami Kōetsu, byōbu folding screens (Wind
Lore & Background
Tawaraya Sōtatsu was a Japanese furniture designer and painter of the Rinpa school, which he co-founded with Hon'ami Kōetsu. He is best known for decorating calligraphic works by Kōetsu and for his spectacular folding screens, including the National Treasures *Wind God and Thunder God* and paintings from *The Tale of Genji*. He popularized the tarashikomi technique, where a second layer of paint is applied before the first dries. Sōtatsu’s birth date is unknown, likely around 1570, and his birthplace is also uncertain; painter Tani Bunchō claimed he was from Noto and studied under Sumiyoshi Jokei in Kyoto. His family name may have been Nonomura. In 1602, he repaired 12th-century sutra scrolls at Itsukushima shrine, his earliest attributed work. He later collaborated with Kōetsu on the Sagabon project, designing book covers and paper. Sōtatsu married a cousin of Kōetsu and opened a shop in Kyoto named Tawaraya, selling fans, lantern paper, screens, dolls, and kimono patterns, and taking interior decoration commissions. Around 1620, their collaboration ended as Sōtatsu focused on painting. He decorated Yōgen-in temple in 1621 and received the title hokkyō in 1630. His death likely occurred around 1640. His notable works include *Waves at Matsushima*, the poem scroll with cranes, *Poem Scroll with Deer*, and *Dragons and Clouds*. His direct students included Tawaraya Sōsetsu and Kitawaga Sōsetsu.
Reader's Guide
Tawaraya Sōtatsu is significant for co-founding the Rinpa school, a group of artists directly influenced by him and Hon'ami Kōetsu, though it was not strictly a school. Sōtatsu's work was not particularly recognized in his lifetime, but he is now the second-most recognized Japanese painter by number of inclusions in the National Treasures of Japan list. His masterwork, Waves at Matsushima (1620s), is highly regarded, and his collaborative handscroll Anthology with Cranes is praised for its cutting-edge originality.
Did You Know?
- He married a cousin of Hon'ami Kōetsu and opened a shop in Kyoto named Tawaraya, selling decorated objects such as fans, lantern paper, screens, dolls, and kimono patterns.
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