Kano White-robed Kannon, Bodhisattva of Compassion

was a

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

painter Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ...

and

calligrapher Calligraphy (from el, link=y, καλλιγραφία) is a visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a pen, ink brush, or other writing instrument. Contemporary calligraphic practice can be defined as "t ...

. He was a member of the

Kanō school The is one of the most famous schools of Japanese painting. The Kanō school of painting was the dominant style of painting from the late 15th century until the Meiji period which began in 1868, by which time the school had divided into many ...

of painting. Through his political connections, patronage, organization, and influence he was able to make the Kanō school into what it is today. The system was responsible for the training of a great majority of painters throughout the

Edo period The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was character ...

(1603–1868). After his death, he was referred to as Kohōgen (古法眼).

Family Background

The Kanō family are presumed to be the descendants from a line of warriors from the Kanō district. The Kanō district is now called

Shizuoka Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Shizuoka Prefecture has a population of 3,637,998 and has a geographic area of . Shizuoka Prefecture borders Kanagawa Prefecture to the east, Yamanashi Prefecture to the northea ...

. The forebear of this family was Kanō Kagenobu. He seems to have been a retainer of the Imagawa family. It has been reported that he painted a picture of

Mount Fuji , or Fugaku, located on the island of Honshū, is the highest mountain in Japan, with a summit elevation of . It is the second-highest volcano located on an island in Asia (after Mount Kerinci on the island of Sumatra), and seventh-highest ...

for a visit to the ''

shōgun , officially , was the title of the military dictators of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, though during part of the Kamaku ...

Ashikaga Yoshinori was the sixth ''shōgun'' of the Ashikaga shogunate who reigned from 1429 to 1441 during the Muromachi period of Japan. Yoshinori was the son of the third ''shōgun'' Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). His childhood name was Harutor ...

in 1432. The Kanō family dominated the painting world from the end of the

Muromachi period The is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. The period marks the governance of the Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate (''Muromachi bakufu'' or ''Ashikaga bakufu''), which was officially established in 1338 by ...

(1336–1573) to the end of the

(1603–1868). Kanō Masanobu, Motonobu's father, was the founder of the

. Kanō Masanobu was the official court painter to the

Ashikaga shogunate The , also known as the , was the feudal military government of Japan during the Muromachi period from 1336 to 1573.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Muromachi-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 669. The Ashikaga shogunate was establi ...

in 1481. Masanobu was a professional artist whose style derived from the ''Kanga'' style ( Chinese-style ink painting). Masanobu’s descendants were the people that made up the Kanō school. The Kanō school had secular ink painters. Hosokawa Sumimoto

Career

At the age of 10 years old, I become an attendant of general Yoshihisa Ashikaga, and it is said that I served Yoshizumi Ashikaga. Since Kanō Motonobu was a son and heir of the founder of the Kanō School,

Kanō Masanobu was a Japanese painter. He was the chief painter of the Ashikaga shogunate and is generally considered the founder of the Kanō school of painting. Kano Masanobu specialized in Zen paintings as well as elaborate paintings of Buddhist deities and ...

, he was likely trained in ''Kanga'' ( Chinese-style ink painting) by his father. Right away Motonobu showed great promise as an artist and procured several commissions from major patrons as early as nine years old. Such patrons include the Ashikaga shogunate, members of the imperial aristocracy, Kyoto merchant class, and major

Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the c ...

shrines and temples. Hosokawa Takakuni

One of his earliest documented contracts was for a set of votive plaques ( e-ma) depicting for the

Thirty-six Poetry Immortals The are a group of Japanese poets of the Asuka, Nara, and Heian periods selected by Fujiwara no Kintō as exemplars of Japanese poetic ability. The oldest surviving collection of the 36 poets' works is '' Nishi Honganji Sanju-rokunin Kash ...

for the Shinto shrine of Itsukushima. It was commissioned by a group of Sakai merchants in 1515 and the pieces are now located in

Hiroshima Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu. Hiroshima Prefecture has a population of 2,811,410 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 8,479 km² (3,274 sq mi). Hiroshima Prefecture borders Okayama Prefecture to the ...

. By the 1530s Motonobu had married the daughter of the head of the

Tosa School of Japanese painting was founded in the early Muromachi period (14th–15th centuries),,p.988 and was devoted to ''yamato-e'', paintings specializing in subject matter and techniques derived from ancient Japanese art, as opposed to schools influe ...

of painting,

Tosa Mitsunobu was a Japanese painter, the founder of the Tosa school of Japanese painting. Born into a family that had traditionally served as painters to the Imperial court, he was head of the court painting bureau from 1493 to 1496. In 1518, he was appointe ...

, had three sons (Shōei 519–1592 Yusetsu 514–1562 and Joshin), and lead a small Kanō sect in northern Kyoto. The workshop contains roughly ten people containing Motonobu, his three sons, Motonobu’s younger brother Yukinobu (1513–1575), and some assistants that might have not been blood related. Since Motonobu was the head or chief architect of these paintings he took on the contracting, production, and organization of the projects while still being very involved with the marketing of his work and his studio. Known for his charm and intellect, Motonobu became a fierce businessman, and frequently petitioned to the shogun for a vast amount of varied commissions with his fellow merchant, Hasuike Hideaki. Motonobu is a painter who survived the turbulent world of the Warring States period while receiving the patronage of the influential people of the time, such as the

shogunate , officially , was the title of the military dictators of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, though during part of the Kamakura ...

, the imperial court,

Ishiyama Hongan-ji The was the primary fortress of the Ikkō-ikki, leagues of warrior priests and commoners who opposed samurai rule during the Sengoku period. It was established in 1496, at the mouth of the Yodo River, on the coast of the Seto Inland Sea. At the t ...

, and the influential townspeople. However, the time he spent marketing did not deter him from his paintings. As head of the Kanō school, he took the most important rooms in a building commissioned, and then assigned his son and assistants other projects based on hierarchy. These projects could be painting their own rooms independently or grinding pigments, preparing the paper, painting the background color, or simply filled in large areas of color. As a result of Motonobu's marketing skills, the commissions grew allowing the workshop and school itself to expand. Motonobu trained his workshop which was full of members of his family and other apprentices to execute his many designs. The workshop trained other artists by watching the master painter work and emphasised recreating their master's style. He leave the work of various genres as an occupation illustrator, and a portrait such as "Statue of Sogi Iio, statue of Sogi Iio" ( Museum of Fine Arts, Boston), the work such as "Amount of figure of horse dedicated to the shrine, amount of figure of horse dedicated to the shrine" of Hyogo, Kamo Shrine (votive tablet) exist.

Style

Motonobu was known for his Chinese monochromatic style and characteristic brushwork, pioneering the suiboku-ga (sumi-e) painting style in Japan. The forms were organic, natural, and full of drama. Motonobu's commissions were generally designed for in the home of the samurai warrior class, focusing on ''

fusuma In Japanese architecture, are vertical rectangular panels which can slide from side to side to redefine spaces within a room, or act as doors. They typically measure about wide by tall, the same size as a '' tatami'' mat, and are thick. Th ...

'' and ''

byōbu are Japanese folding screens made from several joined panels, bearing decorative painting and calligraphy, used to separate interiors and enclose private spaces, among other uses. History are thought to have originated in Han dynasty C ...

''. His sumi-e style paintings are reported to take inspiration from three distinct Chinese masters of the sumi-e technique, Mu-ch'i Fa-ch'ang, Hsia Kuei, and Yü Chien (c. 1230). However, he was versatile in his painting and was able to produce landscapes, scenery, and figures of bold decorative patterns. This was likely due to his father-in-law being head of the Tosa school,

, who was famous for his revival of the ''yamato-e'' style. Noted works in the ''yamato-e'' style include a set of hand scrolls ''

Seiryō-ji is a Buddhism in Japan, Buddhist temple in the Saga district of Ukyō-ku, Kyoto, Ukyō-ku, Kyoto, Japan. It is also known as Saga Shaka-dō. It is devoted to the practice of Yuzu Nembutsu. Initially, the temple belonged to the Kegon sect; then ...

no engi'' ("Origins of Seiryō-ji", 1515; Kyoto, Seiryō-ji), and some ''fusuma'' wall paintings. By mastering these two distinct styles, Motonobu's artistic skills could be tailored to match his respective patron and create a unique fusion of Chinese and Japanese style. This fusion of Chinese style and iconography with Japanese aesthetics is what helped the Kanō school achieve the legendary status it is known for today. He also was a master in calligraphy, specifically the formal style known as ''shintai'' ("new form"), the more informal form known as ''

gyōsho Semi-cursive script (), also known as running hand script, is a style of calligraphy which emerged in China during the Han dynasty (3rd century BC – 3rd century AD). The style is used to write Chinese characters and is abbreviated slightly ...

'' ("running style"), and the running style ''

sōsho Cursive script (; , ''sōshotai''; , ''choseo''; ), often mistranslated as grass script, is a script style used in Chinese and East Asian calligraphy. It is an umbrella term for the cursive variants of the clerical script and the regular s ...

'' ("grass", very cursive style). KANO-Motonobu-Daisen-in-1-L.jpg, ''Birds and Flowers of the Four Seasons'', 1513, 139x170 cm.

Daisen-in The is a sub-temple of Daitoku-ji, a temple of the Rinzai school of Zen in Buddhism, one of the five most important Zen temples of Kyoto. The name means "The Academy of the Great Immortals." Daisen-in was founded by the Zen priest , and was ...

Daitoku-ji is a Buddhist temple, one of fourteen autonomous branches of the Rinzai school of Japanese Zen. It is located in Kita-ku, Kyoto, Japan. The "mountain name" ('' sangō'') by which it is known is . The Daitoku-ji temple complex today covers more ...

. KANO-Motonobu-Daisen-in-1-izq.jpg, ''Birds and Flowers of the Four Seasons'', 1513, 139x170 cm.

. Motonobu Vier Jahreszeiten links.jpg, ''Four Seasons'' (Autumn and Winter), 1560. Motonobu Vier Jahreszeiten rc.jpg, ''Four Seasons'' (Spring and Summer), 1560. Ema by Kano Motonobu (Kamo Jinja Tatsuno).jpg, '' Ema'' (votive horse), Important Cultural Property of Japan,

Hyōgo Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Hyōgo Prefecture has a population of 5,469,762 () and has a geographic area of . Hyōgo Prefecture borders Kyoto Prefecture to the east, Osaka Prefecture to the southeast, an ...

. Ema by Kano Motonobu (Kamo Jinja Tatsuno)2.jpg, '' Ema'' (votive horse), Important Cultural Property of Japan,

. File:EB1911 Japan - Landscape in snow.jpg, ''Landscape in snow'', between 1476 and 1559. Published in ''Encyclopædia Britannica'', 11th Ed., Vol. 15, 1911, page 176. File:'The Daoist Immortal Huang Chuping' by Kano Motonobu.jpg, ''The Daoist Immortal Huang Chuping'', 16th century, ink on paper,

Honolulu Museum of Art The Honolulu Museum of Art (formerly the Honolulu Academy of Arts) is an art museum in Honolulu, Hawaii. The museum is the largest of its kind in the state, and was founded in 1922 by Anna Rice Cooke. The museum has one of the largest single co ...

Legacy

One of Motonobu's greatest achievements was the creation of a new technique for painting. This technique formed the basis for the early Kanō school style. It was known as wa-kan, a mixture of Japanese and Chinese painting. This combination had the spatial solidity and careful brushwork techniques of ''Kanga''. It also had some of the characteristics of ''Yamato-e'' style, for instance, the fine line and decorative patterning, use of colors, and gold leaf. The wall panels depicting ''Birds and Flowers of the Four Seasons'' shows this combination of styles. He taught other generations everything he learned. This established some creativity and flexibility in the Kanō school. ''The Story of Xiang yan'' (Tokyo National Museum) shows the emergence of Kanō style, although it has an underlying

Chinese philosophy Chinese philosophy originates in the Spring and Autumn period () and Warring States period (), during a period known as the " Hundred Schools of Thought", which was characterized by significant intellectual and cultural develop ...

to it. But the figure in the foreground is active and the vertical plane makes the painting Japanese. The brushwork and compositional elements also make the painting appear distinctively Japanese. The Kanō school flourished because of leaders like Motonobu. His reputation, talent and developed organizational skills made this possible. Though the school was founded in the 15th century, its impact can still be felt in modern art across the world.

Works

* ''Kurama-dera engi (‘Origins of Kurama temple’;'' ''Zen Patriarchs),'' 1513. Separated and distributed into hanging scrolls, ink and color on paper, 175.1 x 88.4 cm. Tokyo National Museum, Tokyo, Japan. https://mdid3.uwsp.edu/data/record/10512/2015_00571jpg/ * ''Em-a Thirty Six Immortal Poets'', 1515. Hanging Scroll ink on paper. Shinto shrine of Itsukushima. * ''The Four Accomplishments'', mid-16th century. Pair of six-panel folding screens; ink and color on paper. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/44673 * ''Bo Ya Plays the Qin as Zhong Ziqi Listens,'' 1530s. Hanging scroll, ink on paper, Image: 65 1/16 × 34 1/4 in. (165.2 × 87 cm) Overall with mounting: 8 ft. 10 7/8 in. × 40 13/16 in. (271.5 × 103.7 cm) Overall with knobs: 8 ft. 10 7/8 in. × 43 3/16 in. (271.5 × 109.7 cm). https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/53233 * ''Bamboo Stalks, Rocks and Cranes,'' 15th century. Ink on paper. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2017/10/24/arts/motonobu-father-kano-styles/#.Woc1ZZM-cWo * ''White-robed Bodhisattva of Compassion,'' Early 16th century. Hanging scroll, ink and color on paper, Image: 157.2 x 76.4 cm (61 7/8 x 30 1/16 in.) Mount (with jiku): 256.5 x 104.1 cm (101 x 41 in.). Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Fenollosa-Weld Collection. http://www.mfa.org/collections/object/white-robed-bodhisattva-of-compassion-24752 * ''49 Landscapes with Flowers and Birds, Early 16th century. Hanging Scroll, mounted ink and color on paper, Kyoto Shinto Shrine.'' * ''

Hosokawa Sumimoto was a samurai commander in the Muromachi period during the 16th century of Japan. Sumimoto was one of the few sons of Hosokawa Yoshiharu and an adopted son of Hosokawa Masamoto, who was the Kanrei of the Ashikaga shogunate. His roots was the Ho ...

on Horseback,'' 1507. Hanging Scroll, ink and color on paper. Eisei Bunko Museum. * Portrait of

Hosokawa Takakuni Hosokawa Takakuni (, 1484 – 17 July 1531) was the most powerful military commander in the Muromachi period under Ashikaga Yoshiharu, the twelfth ''shōgun''. His father was Hosokawa Masaharu, a member of the branch of the Hosokawa clan. His c ...

, 1543. Hanging Scroll, ink and color on paper.

Tōrin-in is a sub-temple of the temple complex of Myōshin-ji in Kyoto, Japan. As such, it is affiliated with the Myōshin-ji school of Rinzai Zen Buddhism. Name The temple is named for Donglin Temple () at the base of Mountain Lu near Jiujiang in ...

. * Mountain and water, Hanging Scroll, ink and color on paper.

Tokyo National Museum The or TNM is an art museum in Ueno Park in the Taitō ward of Tokyo, Japan. It is one of the four museums operated by the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage ( :ja:国立文化財機構), is considered the oldest national museum in Japan, ...

References

*''Kenkyusha's New Japanese-English Dictionary'', Kenkyusha Limited, Tokyo 1991, . *Mason, R.H.P. and J.G.Caiger, ''A History of Japan'', Tokyo 1977, *''Art Grove Dictionary''. Oxford University Press 2007-2009. *Jordan, Brenda G. and Victoria Weston. ''Copying the Master and Stealing His Secrets: Talent and Training in Japanese Painting.'' University of Hawai’i Press; Honolulu, 2003. *''Encyclopædia Britannica Online''. ;Specific

External links

Bridge of dreams: the Mary Griggs Burke collection of Japanese art
a catalog from The Metropolitan Museum of Art Libraries (fully available online as PDF), which contains material on this artist (see index) {{DEFAULTSORT:Kano, Motonobu 1476 births 1559 deaths 15th-century Japanese calligraphers 15th-century Japanese painters 16th-century Japanese calligraphers 16th-century Japanese painters Buddhist artists Edo period Buddhists Japanese landscape painters Japanese portrait painters Japanese Shintoists Japanese Zen Buddhists Japanese watercolourists Kanō school Muromachi period Buddhists