Among the various styles of art born in the former capital of Kyoto is the highly cultured style known as Rimpa that flowered early in the 17th century. The pioneers of the style were Hon'ami Koetsu (1558-1637) and Tawaraya Sotatsu (?-1643?), and the art form didn't become known as Rimpa until it was named for a later master, Ogata Korin (1658-1716) -- the rin in Korin being suffixed with pa (from ha), meaning "school."
Rimpa looked for inspiration to the Heian Period (794-1185), considered the pinnacle of Japanese culture. Rimpa artists illustrated the poems and stories of the Heian Period in paintings and calligraphy, on ceramics and as applied maki-e designs on lacquerware.
With the relocation of the capital to Edo in 1868, however, and the rise of Edo-inspired art forms such as the colorful ukiyo-e woodblock prints, the golden days of Kyoto arts and crafts were numbered. By the 19th century, crafts such as maki-e, in particular, had fallen into a sad state of decline.