Arthur M Sackler Gallery and the Freer Gallery of Art - The National Museum of Asian Art - Smithsonian Institution
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The Decorative Modes of the Kenzan Style
The Korin Mode
Kenzan's older brother, Korin, is remembered as the painter who took the century-old style of Tawaraya Sotatsu (active ca. 1600–1640) and infused it with greater simplicity, sharpness of line and contour, and heightened color. Korin's paintings and designs for lacquerwork, textiles, and ceramics delighted the pleasure-loving urban merchant society of which the artist was a vital part. Between 1711 and 1716, Korin lived near Kenzan's Chojiyamachi workshop, and the brothers collaborated on a series of ceramic projects. Korin executed and signed the central designs of flowers, plants, and figures for Kenzan's flat, square dishes that resembled paper sheets used for writing and painting. Woodblock-printed books of Korin-inspired designs first appeared during Korin's lifetime and contributed to the continuation of his vivacious style in craft decoration.

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