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Kita Genki (Active 1651-1725)
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Kita Genki (Active 1651-1725)
JAPAN, Kagoshima; Edo period (1615–1868)
Kita Genki was a figurative painter of the Obaku school from Satsuma (present day Kagoshima). He learned to paint from his father Kita Doku, and subsequently inherited his father's career. Between mid-17th and early 18th century, he was based in Nagasaki and traveled between Edo (present day Tokyo), Aichi, and Manpukuji Temple in Kyoto.
Kita painted mainly religious figures, and he particularly enjoyed depicting the Three Brushes of Obaku, which was comprised of Chan masters Yinyuan Longqi, Mu'an Xingtao, and Jifei Ruyi; three eminent monastic calligraphers in Japan. He was greatly influenced by the style of Western paintings and thus his depictions were realistic and vibrant with rich colors, showing special attention to the shadows on the faces and clothing. Kita employed the unique boneless" method of painting without first rendering outlines |
