Artists

Kanō Isen'in Naganobu

Kanō Naganobu (狩野栄信, 1775–1828), gō Isen'in, was the eighth head of the Kobikichō house. He combined the Kanō tradition with the spatial depth of Qing painting.

Published on: Jul 7, 2026

Kakemono by Kanō Naganobu: Mount Fuji behind a pine-covered hill, ink and color on silk. — Mount Fuji behind pine-covered hill – kakemono by Kanō Isen'in Naganobu (狩野伊川院栄信) (detail)

In a nutshell

Kanō Naganobu (狩野栄信) was a Japanese painter of the late Edo period (1775–1828) and the eighth head of the Kobikichō Kanō house. His gō was Isen'in (伊川院), his childhood name Eijirō; the name 栄信 is also read Eishin. He was the son of Kanō Korenobu and the father of Kanō Osanobu. In 1802 he received the rank of Hōgen, in 1816 that of Hōin; his seal frequently reads "Isen'in Hōin Eishin." He adopted principles of perspective from Qing-period painting while at the same time reviving the restrained ink style of the house's founder, Kanō Naonobu.

Kanō Isen'in Naganobu (狩野栄信): Eighth Head of the Kobikichō House

Kanō Naganobu (狩野栄信, 1775–1828) was a Japanese painter of the late Edo period and served as the eighth head of the Kobikichō Kanō house. He is best known under his gō Isen'in (伊川院), which is why he frequently appears in object descriptions as Kanō Isen'in Naganobu. His childhood name was Eijirō; the characters 栄信 are also read Eishin.

Position in the Line of Succession

Naganobu stood in the middle of a well-documented line: his father was Kanō Korenobu, his grandfather Kanō Norinobu, who had led the house to its greatest flourishing. His son Kanō Osanobu took over the line as the ninth head. In 1802 Naganobu received the rank of Hōgen, in 1816 that of Hōin – accordingly, his seal often reads "Isen'in Hōin Eishin," which can be directly used for dating a work.

Qing Perspective and the Return to the House Founder

Naganobu's painting pursued two directions at once. On the one hand, he adopted principles of spatial representation from Chinese painting of the Qing period, achieving a pictorial depth that had been foreign to earlier Kanō painting. On the other hand, he revived the restrained ink style of the house founder Kanō Naonobu – a deliberate reconnection to his own origins. His preliminary work, his color technique, and his compositional approach had a direct influence on the work of his son.

Fuji as a Pictorial Motif

Fuji is never merely a mountain in Japanese painting. It stands for permanence and is regarded as an auspicious image, which is why a Fuji hanging scroll is traditionally hung at New Year — an effect intensified further when pines or cranes are added. Pictorially it presents a challenge, because its clear conical shape leaves little room for variation: the effect arises from what happens around it, from bands of mist, tiers of hills, and the height at which the snow line is set. In late Kanō painting, an engagement with spatial depth is added, which can be read directly from the layering of the planes.