Landscape

Yokoi Kinkoku (1761-1832) was born in Otsu province (present-day Shiga prefecture). Kinkoku was first a buddhist priest of the Pure Land sect, but later became a follower of the syncretic Shugendō sect, spending most of his time on ascetic practices and and pilgrimages in the mountains. As a painter, Kinkoku was largely self-taught. However, his idiosyncratic style reveals a strong influence from Yosa Buson (1716-1784), one of the most influential literati painters and haikai poets of eighteenth century Japan. Kinkoku was not only a prolific painter, specialising mainly in idealistic landscape representations, but also excelled in calligraphy, poetry, seal carving, pottery and the martial arts. His paintings are highly appreciated for their individualistic, expressive brushwork and suggestive mood.