A Quiet Presence in the 16th Century In the mid-16th century, a Japanese painter named Sekkan worked during a period of profound transition. While the specific details of his early life remain obscured by the passage of time, his hand left a mark on the history of Japanese ink painting. He was active between 1555 and 1558, a brief window that offers us a glimpse into his technical skill and his ability to translate complex spiritual t…