Sakai Hōitsu, was among the most accomplished painters of Edo-period. His artistic style was influenced by different style like Kano-school, Ukiyo-e as well as Rinpa School, which dominated his artistic style.
This collection of eleven scrolls was once part of a complete set of twelve, each one illustrating Japanese customs and the objects tied to different months throughout the year. Among them, two scrolls highlight significant traditional events: the ritual of the First Month, known as Shihōhai, wherein the Emperor and dignitaries pay homage to the Four Cardinal Directions, and the “Shichi-go-san mairi” festival celebrated in the Eleventh Month for young boys aged three and five, and girls aged five and seven.
Other images in this series showcase various cultural artifacts, including the ornamental scented ball, or kusudama, featured during the Fifth Month festivities, and a particular type of mulberry leaf linked to the Tanabata or Milky Way festival in the Seventh Month. The Eighth Month scroll offers a beautiful, poetic depiction of autumn, adorned with bellflowers, maidenflowers, and knotweed, all set against a luminous full moon.
Typical of the Rinpa school’s signature style, which heavily influenced Sakai Hōitsu, the Sixth and Eighth Month compositions utilize the technique known as tarashikomi. This method involves applying ink or color to a wet surface of paper or silk, resulting in a captivating pooled or mottled effect. Moreover, Rinpa artworks often include subtle references to poetry and literature, evident in the Sixth Month scroll, which alludes to Chapter Four (“Yūgao”) of The Tale of Genji (Genji Monogatari).
Sakai Hōitsu’s Activities of the Twelve Months handles time not as a linear march, but as a poetic, cyclical dance between human ritual and the natural world. Rooted in the Japanese aesthetic of mono no aware (the poignant awareness of transience), the scrolls interpret the year through changing seasons, seamlessly pairing imperial court ceremonies with seasonal flora.By juxtaposing elite courtly milestones like the Shihōhai alongside popular festivals, Hōitsu frames human culture as an organic extension of the changing landscape. Furthermore, through the evocative, pooled pigments of the tarashikomi technique and subtle nods to masterpieces like The Tale of Genji, the series operates as a visual anthology of classical literature. Ultimately, the artwork elevates simple calendar tracking into a profound, meditative exploration of cosmic order, where shifting seasons and fleeting human customs exist in perfect, harmonious equilibrium.
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By: Pritha Das
Sakai Hōitsu was one of the most revered painters of Edo-period. His style was influenced by diverse sources including Kano-school tradition, Ukiyo-e woodblock prints, and Rinpa School which defined his painting style. This set of eleven scrolls was once part of a complete series of twelve, each depicting scenes and elements associated with different Japanese months and their festivities. Two of the scrolls depict significant traditional events; the ceremony of the First Month (Shihōhai) where the Emperor and his attendants pay respects to the Four Cardinal Directions, and the “Shichi-go-san mairi” festival in the Eleventh Month celebrating children turning three, five, and seven. Other images from this series portray a variety of cultural artifacts, such as the ornamental incense ball or kusudama that features in the Fifth Month celebration, and a particular kind of mulberry leaf associated with Tanabata or Milky Way festival that takes place in the Seventh Month. An especially lovely picture of autumn is included in the Eighth Month scroll, enhanced by bellflowers, maidenflowers, and knotweed with the bright full moon. Similar to other Rinpa school artists who had a strong impact on Sakai Hōitsu’s style, the Sixth and Eighth Month scrolls present a wonderful and unique tarashikomi technique. This special painting method is achieved through a particular application of ink or dye on a wet paper or silk surface resulting in an amazing mottled pool effect. Painted in Rinpa style the series also includes subtle hints and allusions to poetry and literature; in particular, the image of the Sixth Month scroll refers to Chapter Four (“Yūgao”) of The Tale of Genji (Genji Monogatari).
