Genroku bunka 元禄文化

Lit. Genroku culture. The middle Edo period *Edo jidai 江戸時代 chūki 中期; (ca. 1688-1715) especially the Genroku era (1688-1704). Known as a period of luxurious display, the arts were increasingly patronized by a growing and powerful merchant class. It is generally felt that the Genroku era marks the high point of Edo period culture. Two representative artists of Genroku culture are *Rinpa 琳派 artist Ogata Kōrin 尾形光琳 (1658-1716) and Hishikawa Moronobu 菱川師宣 (?-1694), who is regarded as the founder of *ukiyo-e 浮世絵.