Rimpa art from the Idemitsu Collection, Tokyo /

Rimpa art refers to "the school of Korin," a brilliant group of 17th- and 18th-century Japanese screen and scroll painters (Ogata Kor=in, S=osatsu, H=oitsu), calligrapher Hon'ami K=oetsu, ceramicists Ninsei and Kenzan, and various followers. Yamane (emeritus professor long associated with Tokyo Univ.) opens with a clearly written, and deeply knowledgeable, history of Rimpa art (abetted by numerous black-and-white illustrations). There are 70 art works, illustrated by more than 100 color plates of excellent quality, each receiving thorough and intelligent commentary. Brief biographies of the artists conclude this splendid volume from Tokyo's Idemitsu Museum of Arts. Perhaps especial respects are due the intelligence displayed in the choice of art works. Unique instances of creativity, such as screens decorated with numerous varied fans (plates 1 and 2), several paintings suggesting the much earlier Yamato-e style (plates 3-10), individualistic portraits (plates 22-24), imaginative paintings on fans (e.g., plate 25), effortlessly drawn designs for tea bowls (plate 26), and highly original and varied ceramics (plates 55 to 70) are worthy companions to the many plates of aesthetically stunning screens based on nature. Upper-division undergraduates and above. T. B. Hoffman; University of South Florida