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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ArtistsTakeda EkishūTakeda 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.View topic
ArtistsSatake EikaiSatake 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.View topic
ArtistsYamamoto BaiitsuYamamoto 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.View topic
ArtistsKanō ChikanobuKanō 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.View topic
ArtistsTani BunchōTani Bunchō (谷文晁, 1763–1841) was one of the most versatile painters of the Edo period. He combined the Kanō school, Nanga, and Chinese models into a deliberately cross-school approach.View topic
ArtistsKawai GyokudōKawai Gyokudō (川合玉堂, 1873–1957) painted the landscapes of Japan through the changing seasons. In 1940 he received the Order of Culture.View topic
ArtistsSakai HōitsuSakai Hōitsu (酒井抱一, 1761–1829) founded the Edo Rinpa school. The son of a feudal lord and later a monk, he translated Ogata Kōrin's formal vocabulary into a pictorial world shaped by haiku poetry.View topic
ArtistsItō ShinsuiItō Shinsui (伊東深水, 1898–1972) was the most important Bijinga painter of the 20th century and a central figure of the Shin-hanga movement.View topic
ArtistsYamamoto ShunkyoYamamoto Shunkyo (山元春挙, 1871–1933) was one of the leading landscape painters of Kyōto. His blue is still considered inimitable today.View topic
ArtistsKanō Seisen'in OsanobuKanō Osanobu (狩野養信), gō Seisen'in, was the ninth head of the Kobikichō Kanō house and son of Kanō Naganobu.View topic
ArtistsMori GetsujōMori Getsujō (森月城) was a Kyōto Nihonga painter from the school of Takeuchi Seihō. The name is also read as Shingetsujō.View topic
ArtistsYamada ShūheiYamada Shūhei (山田秋坪) was a Nanga painter in Ōsaka and a student of Himejima Chikugai. Together with Mizuta Chikuho, he was considered one of the two pillars of this school.View topic
ArtistsYoshimura RakunyūYoshimura Rakunyū (吉村楽入) is a Raku ware workshop in Kyōto, now in its third generation, producing tea bowls for the tea ceremony.View topic
ArtistsHashimoto GyōinHashimoto Gyōin (橋本凝胤, 1897–1978) was abbot of Yakushi-ji in Nara from 1939 to 1967 and one of the best-known monks of the 20th century.View topic
ArtistsTanaka KakashiTanaka Kakashi (田中案山子, 1906–1970) was a Nihonga painter in Tōkyō. He exhibited eight times at the Inten and was among the co-founders of the Shinkō Bijutsuin in 1937.View topic
ArtistsIwasaki HajinIwasaki Hajin (岩崎巴人, 1917–2010) was an ink painter and became a Buddhist priest in 1977. He combined painting and spiritual practice.View topic
ArtistsKanō Tōshun YoshinobuKanō Tōshun Yoshinobu (狩野洞春美信, 1747–1797) headed the Surugadai-Kanō house, which stood at the top of the Omote-eshi.View topic
ArtistsSaeki ShunkōSaeki Shunkō (佐伯春虹, 1909–1942) was a Nihonga painter of bijinga. He died at the age of 33.View topic
ArtistsYoda ChikokuYoda Chikoku (依田竹谷, 1790–1843) was a Nanga painter in Edo and a student of Tani Bunchō. His most famous student was Takaku Ryūko.View topic
ArtistsSatō BokudōSatō Bokudō (佐藤朴堂) was a Japanese calligrapher whose works render phrases from the Zen tradition.View topic
ArtistsKawasaki ShōkoKawasaki Shōko (川崎小虎, 1886–1977) came from the Yamato-e tradition of his grandfather and turned in old age to small motifs from nature and the animal world.View topic
ArtistsKanō EihakuKanō Eihaku (狩野永伯) belonged to the Kyō-Kanō school and was involved in wall painting work at the Imperial Palace from 1708.View topic
ArtistsNakajima KahōNakajima Kahō (中島華鳳) was a painter of the Maruyama school in Kyōto. He studied under Mori Kansai and received his calligraphic training from Tomioka Tessai.View topic
ArtistsHata GetsushūHata Getsushū (羽田月洲, born 1841) was a Kyōto Nihonga painter and student of Mochizuki Gyokusen. The family name is also read Haneda.View topic

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