Ishii Rinkyō: A Japanese-Style Painter Who Was Born in Chiba Prefecture and Manly Active at Exhibitions Sponsored by the Government

Midday Figure

Ishii Rinkyō was born in Chiba prefecture in 1884. He studied under Hashimoto Gahō and worked hard as a professional painter while exhibiting at the Futabakai Exhibition and the Bijutsu Kenseikai Exhibition. Since he was accepted for the 1st Bunten Exhibition in 1907, he kept on exhibiting at the exhibitions so that he exerted his outstanding talent, which was paid attention in the world. In 1919, the Bunten Exhibition was reorganized and the Exhibition of the Imperial Fine Arts Academy launched. However, he objected to its strict selectivity and management way and formed the Josuikai (an art circle) together with Noda Kyūho, Shimada Bokusen, Ikeda Terukata. Although they held the 1st Josuikai Exhibition, it was dissolved in the next year already. After that, he came back to the Exhibition of the Imperial Fine Arts Academy and he was awarded the special selection at the 4th exhibition in 1922. Also, he was chosen as a judge of the exhibition in 1924. Although he was being a leading figure in the center of the painting world gradually, he passed away suddenly at the age of only 47 in 1930.

This piece of work might have been produced around when Ishii Rinkyō was strongly influenced by the Rinpa school before 1919. The depiction to use Tarashikomi technique of opium poppy leaves looks completely inspired by the Rinpa school. It looks interesting to use patina color and gold paint for the black leaves of the opium poppy and not to paint on paper but to do gradation on a silk canvas. The silhouette of a white cat casually drawn on the center also adds an accent to the screen. The thin caulome of the opium poppy and the flowers which look heavy, and the slightly squishy leaned neck of the cat are well-balanced, which may form some interesting harmony.