Why These Irises Became a National Treasure

In the early 18th century, Ogata Kōrin (尾形光琳) painted one of the most iconic works in Japanese art history — a pair of folding screens covered in deep blue irises against a blazing gold background. No people, no bridges, no landscape. Just flowers. But those flowers are telling a story. This video explores Kōrin’s Irises (燕子花図屏風), from its connection to The Tales of Ise (伊勢物語), to the textile background that shaped its design, to the mineral pigments that give the petals their remarkable depth. We also look at how Kōrin’s admiration for Tawaraya Sōtatsu and his direct study of the Wind God and Thunder God screen (風神雷神図屏風) helped define what would become the Rinpa tradition. The screens are held at the Nezu Museum in Tokyo, where irises still bloom in the garden each spring.