Japan Art and Deer: The Four Winds of Buddhism

Japan Art and Deer: The Four Winds of Buddhism

Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

The contemporary Japanese artist Sawako Utsumi is paying homage to Nakamura Hochu. However, she depicts the deer – inspired by the Edo Period artist Nakamura Hochu – in a different light.

This concerns a very different color scheme. Also, Sawako Utsumi creates a Buddhist angle – even though it is invisible.

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The original above by Nakamura Hochi appeals to Sawako Utsumi concerning aesthetics. Hence, in her eyes, it is the stunning reality of nature – while the four deer represent the four winds of Buddhism.

The RISD Museum says, “When the Korin gafu was first printed in 1802, artists painting in Ogata Korin’s style had all but vanished. Hochu’s work is unique in its innovative merging of the Rimpa painting style with new subject matter and the woodblock printing techniques of the ehon (printed picture book) tradition.”

A poem by Kobayashi Issa (Edo Period) highlights the Buddhist angle concerning the thought patterns of Sawako Utsumi.

His four children died in infancy. However, in Pure Land Buddhism (which gave Kobayashi Issa hope even during the darkness), transience isn’t negative – when extended to the bigger picture of life.

On the contrary, it leads to the sole hope of rescue (on Amida Buddha).

Kobayashi Issa wrote:

Amida Buddha watches
them scatter …
cherry blossoms

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/deer-and-the-four-winds-in-japan-sawako-utsumi.html Deer and the Four Winds in Japan

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/japanese-deer-and-the-four-winds-sawako-utsumi.html Deer and the Four Winds