Oda Kaisen (小田海僊)
Kaisen ODA (1785 - October 17, 1862) was a Japanese painter of nanga (a school of painting originating in China) who lived during the late Edo period.
While he was known as Ryohei ODA, his actual name was Rui ODA or Ei ODA. His nickname was Kyokai, and in addition to Kaisen, he was given the name Hyakukoku as his go (byname), which can be written as either '百合' or '百穀' in Japanese.
He was born in the Tonomi district, Suo Province (present-day Tonomi, Hofu City, Yamaguchi Prefecture), and was adopted by the Oda family which ran a Koya dye shop in Akamagaseki, Nagato Province (present-day Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi Prefecture).
Although he became a disciple of Goshun MATSUMURA of Kyoto Shijo-ha school at the age of 22, and competed with Keibun MATSUMURA, Toyohiko OKAMOTO and others in obtaining fame, Kaisen influenced by Sanyo RAI eventually changed his specialty to nanga. While visiting Kyushu to study, he made researches by reproducing calligraphic works and paintings in the periods of Yuan Dynasty and Ming Dynasty of China, and established his own painting style. In 1824, he became an official painter of Hagi Domain and stayed in Edo for a while. Two years later, he came back to Kyoto and devoted himself to painting. Since he had own atelier during a period from 1848 to 1854, it has been concluded that he taught paintings to Tessai TOMIOKA around that time.
His painting style was characterized by its neatness, and he was good at Sansui-ga (Chinese-style landscape painting), Kacho-ga (painting of flowers and birds) and portrait.
He handled big projects of wall paintings at Mt. Koya and Kyoto Imperial Palace (1855).
In 1862, he died at the age of 78. He was enshrined in Obai-in of Daitoku-ji Temple (Kyoto).
Literary works
"Bunrui Nijushiko zu" (1843)
"Jinbutsu Juhachi Byoho"