Japanese painters like Kanō Eitoku and Ogata Kōrin are masters of their fields. (For more on these painters, check this article out: https://blogs.transparent.com/japanese/japanese-painters/) However, there were other talented painters, but not as famous as Kanō Eitoku and Ogata Kōrin.

Fujiwara Takanobu (藤原隆信) excelled in drawing portraits. His most famous work is the portrait of Minamoto Yoritomo (源頼朝), who was a famous Japanese shōgun (将軍). His portrait paintings are known for being as realistic, and famous for capturing the essential personality of the subject. This type of painting is called Nise-e (似絵).

Tenshō Shūbun (周文) was influenced by Chinese painters, but he developed his own style of painting that was a mixture of Chinese and Japanese influences. The painting on the left if called Shiki sansui zu byōbu (四季山水図屏風) or “The Landscape of the Four Seasons.” This painting is an ink drawing that contains both a foreground and background in realistic proportions.

Kanō Masanobu (狩野正信) was an official court painter who was influenced by Tenshō Shūbun (painter discussed above). His paintings are precious because very few of his actual works have survived. However, there are many copies of his works. The painting on the left is called Shūmoshukuairenzu (周茂叔愛蓮図) which means “Zhou Maoshu Appreciating Lotuses.”

Iwasa Matabei (岩佐又兵衛) was famous for his paintings of people. His figures have large heads, porcelain skin and have delicately drawn faces. The name of the painting on the left is called Matsuura Byobu (婦女遊楽図), or Matsuura’s Folding Screen. Matsurra was the name of Iwasa Matabei’s patron, and so this painting was named after Iwasa’s patron.

Kikuchi Yōsai (菊池容斎) was famous for his portraits of famous historical figures. Before Kikuchi drew his figures, he researched the time period in which his subject lived. As a result, the figures in Kikuchi’s paintings are depicted with the accurate style of clothing in the era in which the figure lived. The painting on the left is a self portrait that Kikuchi made of himself.