This Kyoto Nishijin textile piece features the folding screen painting by Tawaraya Sōtatsu. Tawaraya Sōtatsu was a Japanese painter from the Edo period (16th century), celebrated for ushering in a new wave of Japanese art.
His innovative techniques elevated Japanese painting, creating a new style that was later admired by artists like
Ogata Kōrin and passed down through the generations as the Rinpa school.
“Gods of Wind and Thunder” Screens depict primitive deities from ancient India, who were later incorporated into Buddhism as protectors of the Dharma and symbols of moral justice. These gods were believed to control the wind and rain, ensuring bountiful harvests. The artwork vividly portrays the Wind God, who races across the sky, blowing wind from his bag, and the Thunder God, who strikes the heavenly drums to create thunder and lightning against a backdrop of radiant gold.
The depiction of the dark clouds is masterful, with a sense of mass and depth, further accentuated by the infinite expanse of pure gold leaf. Sōtatsu's choice to paint the harmonious and balanced forms of the gods in white (Thunder God on the left) and green (Wind God on the right) showcases his extraordinary sense of color and composition.
I use 6A grade silk thread, 999.9 pure gold leaf thread.
Adorn your room, study, living room, office, or shop with these Kyoto Nishijin textiles and appreciate the beauty of a 1,500-year-old tradition.
