Sakai Hoitsu

One of a set of three handscroll paintings by Hôitsu depicting the four seasons and the rising sun.

• Born: 1761
• Died: 1828
• Japanese: 酒井抱一 (Sakai Houitsu)

Sakai Hôitsu was an Edo-based painter often considered one of the last masters of the Rinpa style.

He was born into a samurai family, and began his artistic career painting bijinga in the ukiyo-e style, but later switched to producing works more purely in the Rinpa mode. His family had been patrons of Ogata Kôrin (1658-1716) during Kôrin's life, and owned a number of his works, which Hôitsu then took as inspiration or models. In 1815, Hôitsu organized an exhibition of Kôrin's works, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Kôrin's death, and also had published a book entitled Kôrin hyakuzu ("One Hundred Pictures by Kôrin").

Among students of Hôitsu, Suzuki Kiitsu is perhaps the most famous today.