Okada Hankō 岡田半江

Okada Hankō (岡田半江) was a Japanese painter born in 1782 and active during the late Edo period, passing away in 1846. He was a prominent figure in the Nanga school, also known as the Southern School of painting, which was heavily influenced by Chinese literati painting. Hankō was known for his landscape paintings that often depicted serene natural scenes imbued with a sense of poetic tranquility. He was a disciple of the renowned painter Tani Bunchō, under whom he honed his skills and developed his distinctive style. Throughout his career, Hankō contributed significantly to the dissemination and evolution of the Nanga style in Japan, leaving a lasting impact on subsequent generations of artists. His works are celebrated for their delicate brushwork and harmonious compositions, reflecting the philosophical underpinnings of the Nanga movement.