Brief Biography-Japanese Emperors did not yield political power; Power was with the Shoguns. Below them were the military lords called Daimyo, who employed Retainers or Samurai. Next were the farmers, followed by the artisans and at the bottom of the social strata were the merchants. The social hierarchy prevented merchant classes from using their wealth to establish power. Instead, they used their money for social rituals, the pursuit of pleasure, objects, and art. Ogata Kōrin, of a merchant family, was one such artist in the Edo period patronised by them. He was born in Kyoto, the brother of the potter Ogata Kenzan with whom he collaborated on painting ceramics; he also created lacquer boxes and silk kimonos. He died in poverty due to bad housekeeping. The Irises screens by Kōrin influenced the flowers of Van Gogh.