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Japanese artists in portrait

Here we introduce the Japanese artists whose works we carry at Densho - painters of the Nihonga and Nanga tradition as well as ceramicists from Bizen, Hagi or Oribe. The portraits range from the Edo period to contemporary craftspeople and cover career, style and recurring motifs. Learn more about the techniques and traditions behind them under Knowledge.

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Kakemono by Hirose Tōhō: sunrise over the waves, in color on silk.

Hirose Tōhō (広瀬東畝, 1875–1930) came from Kōchi and became a student of Araki Kanpō. In 1904 he received a silver medal at the World's Fair in St. Louis.

Kakemono by Yoshida Shūkō: nightingale on a plum branch, in color on silk.

Yoshida Shūkō

Yoshida Shūkō (吉田秋光, 1887–1946) was a student of Matsuoka Eikyū and founded the Nihon Gain in 1938 together with Itō Shinsui.

Kakemono by Ganryō: a koi swimming upward, painted in ink on silk.

Ganryō (岸良, 1798–1852) was a painter of the Kishi school in Kyōto. As son-in-law of the school's founder Kishi Ganku, he helped carry the school forward after his death.

Kakemono by Imai Keiju: birds in autumn-colored maple, in color on silk.

Imai Keiju (今井景樹) studied under Imao Keinen and became his adopted son. His focus was on flower-and-bird painting.

Kakemono by Hirose Hakuen: singing bird in a cherry blossom branch.

Hirose Hakuen (広瀬柏園) was a painter of the Edo period with ties to the Enman-in at Miidera in Ōmi Province.

Detail view of a kachō-ga painting by Sugaya Hosen showing a bird on a blossoming plum branch.

Painter and calligrapher of the Ichigakai artists' association, known for elegant depictions of the Gods of Fortune and the classic "Four Gentlemen."

Calligraphy by Taniuchi Seigan: the characters Banzai in bold ink on paper.

Taniuchi Seigan

Taniuchi Seigan (谷内清巌) was a priest of the Shingon school at Jingo-ji near Kyōto. His calligraphy stands in the esoteric, not the Zen tradition.

Kakemono by Ōtsuka Shunrei: samurai with horse, painted in color on silk.

Ōtsuka Shunrei

Ōtsuka Shunrei (大塚春嶺, born 1861) was a Nihonga painter from Sonobe. He studied the Maruyama-Shijō painting style under Fukada Chokujō and history painting under Taniguchi Kōkyō.

Zen calligraphy by Fujii Kaidō: characters in ink with signature and seal.

Fujii Kaidō (藤井誡堂, 1898–1984) was the 515th abbot of Daitoku-ji and abbot of Sangen-in. His bokuseki are part of the core body of tea calligraphy.

Kakemono by Mori Yūzan: full moon over a misty landscape, in ink.

Mori Yūzan (森雄山, 1869–1917) created with the pattern book Hamonshū one of the best-known collections of Japanese wave patterns.

Kakemono by Takebe Hakuhō: bird in the branches of a fruit tree.

Takebe Hakuhō (武部白鳳, born 1871) was a painter of the Shijō school in Ōsaka. He studied at the Naniwa painting school under Nishiyama Kan'ei and was known for his landscapes.

Kakemono by Kikuchi Yōsai: mounted samurai in red-laced armor with foot soldier

Kikuchi Yōsai (菊池容斎, 1788–1878) was a history painter who created "Zenken Kojitsu," a ten-volume work with 571 portraits of historical figures.

Kakemono by Gyokusha Shunki: leaping carp in water, in ink and color.

Gyokusha Shunki

Gyokusha Shunki (玉舎春輝) was a Japanese Nihonga painter whose works are devoted to the depiction of animals and nature.

Kakemono by Kanō Zuisen: Mount Fuji in the morning mist with wild geese and a pagoda.

Kanō Zuisen (狩野随川) was an artist name of the Kanō school, used by two brothers of the Hamachō house.

Kakemono by Ueda Gizan: Zen painting of Bodhidharma with inscription in ink on paper.

Ueda Gizan (上田義山, d. 1972) was the 510th abbot of Daitoku-ji and abbot of Kōtō-in. His bokuseki are part of the core body of tea calligraphy.

Kakemono by Hashimoto Gahō: house on a misty mountain slope, ink and color on silk.

Hashimoto Gahō

Hashimoto Gahō (橋本雅邦, 1835–1908) led the Kanō tradition into the modern era. He headed the painting department of the Tōkyō School of Fine Arts and trained the leading Nihonga painters.

Kakemono by Yamauchi Kōsetsu: monk catching shrimp, ink painting with inscription.

Yamauchi Kōsetsu

Yamauchi Kōsetsu (山内香雪, 1799–1860) was a calligrapher, poet, and literati painter of the late Edo period. He came from the Aizu samurai class and studied under Ichikawa Beian.

Kakemono by Tosa Mitsusada: two flying cranes with red crown over a light background.

Tosa Mitsusada (土佐光貞, 1738–1806) was a painter of the Tosa school and head of the imperial painting bureau. The branch line he founded surpassed the family's main line.

Kakemono by Suzuki Shōnen: dove on a branch, in bold ink.

Suzuki Shōnen (鈴木松年, 1848–1918) was regarded as the "Shōhaku of the present" for his powerful ink work. He was Uemura Shōen's first teacher.

Unkoku Tōban (雲谷等璠, 1635–1724) headed the main house of the Unkoku school. He regarded himself as Sesshū in the sixth generation.

Calligraphy by Takeda Ekishū: the character for snow in bold ink.

Takeda Ekishū (竹田益州, 1896–1989) stood at the head of the Kennin-ji lineage of Rinzai Zen for 35 years. His preferred character was nin – patience.

Kakemono by Satake Eikai: songbird on a blossoming cherry branch against a light silk background.

Satake Eikai (佐竹永海, 1803–1874) from Aizu was a student of Tani Bunchō and court painter of the Hikone domain under Ii Naosuke. He was regarded as the legitimate heir to his teacher's versatility.

Kakemono by Yamamoto Baiitsu: heron with raised head in front of chrysanthemums and rocks.

Yamamoto Baiitsu

Yamamoto Baiitsu (山本梅逸, 1783–1856) is considered the most important Nanga painter of Owari Province. His bird-and-flower paintings combine Chinese models with precise observation of nature.

Kakemono by Kanō Chikanobu: pagoda on a cliff above banks of mist, in ink on silk.

Kanō Chikanobu

Kanō Chikanobu (狩野周信, 1660–1728) was the third head of the Kobikichō Kanō house and instructed Shōgun Tokugawa Yoshimune. The name is read Chikanobu, not Shūshin.

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