In Japan, there are five main styles of
writing: gyousho,
sousho, reisho, tensho, and bone script. Bone
script is the oldest form of writing. There
are also variations in between the styles that
appear as combinations between two transitioning
styles. The art of writing in seal script is
basically artistic and variations occur due to the
artist's own style of writing.
The seal script examples shown below are in sousho, tensho,
bronze script and clerical script styles. Some
closely resemble the seal script stamp marks found
on Chinese porcelain wares.
FUJIWARA NAGATAKA 藤原長隆
(13thc - 14thc)
Fujiwara no Nagataka (藤原長隆)
aka Tosa no Nagataka (土佐長隆)
He is from the Kasuga line of Japanese painters.
FUJIWARA NOBUSANE 藤原信実
(1176-1265)
Fujiwara no Nobusane
aka Fujiwara Nobuzane
Nobuzane was one of the leading Japanese portrait artists of
his day. Nobuzane was born in Kyoto, and was the son
of Fujiwara Takanobu. He is also one of Japan’s greatest
portrait artists. Takanobu specialized in nise-e (“likeness
picture”) portraits.
FUJIWARA TAKANOBU 藤原隆信
(1142–1205)
Fujiwara no Takanobu
He was one of the leading Japanese
portrait artists of his day.
Takanobu was born in
Kyoto, and was the half-brother of
Fujiwara Sadaie, one of Japan’s greatest
poets. Takanobu specialized in nise-e
(“likeness picture”) portraits, except
instead of painting on small-size paper
Takanobu painted on scrolls over a meter
in height and width. Only three of his
works have survived, the most notable is
of Minamoto Yoritomo, the founder of the
Kamakura government. Takanobu's son
Nobuzane carried on the family tradition
of painting.
JOSETSU 如拙
(1394-1428)
Josetsu
aka Ranhoken
The early part of the fifteenth century brought powerful aid
to the cause of Chinese art through the medium of a priest
of Kioto named Jo-setbu, who after a profound study of the
pictures of the celebrated artists of the Sung and Yuen
dynasties, established at the temple of Sokokuji, in the
Imperial city, a monastic academy for the promulgation of
their teachings, and grouped around him a body of pupils
destined to initiate a new departure in the art history of
their country. Little is known of this painter, and it is
even uncertain whether he was of Japanese or Chinese birth,
According to some authorities, he came from China and
settled in Japan in the period Oyei (1394 to 1428); while
others claim him as a native of the province of Kiushiu. His
paintings, moreover, are now as rare as those of Kanaoka,
and the one or two examples still shown as his handiwork*
leave his artistic status quite undecided; but as a teacher
he had rare success, for amongst the pupils said to have
issued from his atelier, are the founders of three out of
the four schools which monopolized the attention of the
artistic world down to the middle of the last century;
Shiubun, Sesshiu, and Kano Masanobu.
KASUGA MOTOMITSU 藤原基光
(10thc - 11thc)
Kasuga no Motomitsu
He founded the Kasuga line of Japanese painters at the
Yamato school during the 10th to 11th century. He was the
pupil of Kinmochi, great-grandson of the eminent Kose no
Kanaoka.
KAO SONEN 可翁宗然
(1345-1350)
Sonen Kao
aka Nen Ka-wo
aka Riozen
Nen Kawo was celebrated for his monochrome pictures in the
style of the great Chinese artists of the Sung dynasty.
KEISHOKI 啓書記
aka
SHOKEI
A Zen monk and artist Kei-shoki; named also Kei-sho
or Hin-eaku-sai. A priest of Tofukuji and a pupil of Sesshiu.
He flourished at the end of the 15th century. Noted for
landscape.
KOSE KANAOKA 巨勢金岡
(c. 868-895)
Kose no Kanaoka
He was a court painter of Japan in the first half in the
Heian Period. The first Japanese painter who was known for
his Japanese landscapes and figures, founder of the Kose
school of painting for aristocratic families.
SHUBUN TENSHO
周文
(1444-1450)
Shubun Tensho
aka Shiubun Tensho
A Japanese Zen Buddhist monk and painter of the Muromachi
period. He was born in the late 14th century in Ōmi Province
and became a professional painter around 1403, when he made
a voyage to Korea. He returned to Japan in 1404 and settled
in Kyoto, then the capital city. He became director of the
court painting bureau, established by Ashikaga shoguns, who
were influential art patrons. After attaining this position,
Shūbun used his new powers to promote suiboku ink painting.
SOGA JASOKU 曽我蛇足
(1469-1487)
So-ga Ja-soku. A native of Echizen. A pupil of Soga Shiu-bun.
His vigorous sketches of landscape are amongst the best
works of the fifteenth century.
SOGA SHUBUN 曾我秀文
(c. 14thC)
Soga Shuban
aka Soga Shiubun
A Chinese artist, contemporary with Josetsu, who settled in
the province of Hida at the end of the fourteenth century,
and was adopted into the Soga family. He must be
distinguished from the Shiubun previously referred to.
TAKUMA EIGA 託摩榮賀
(c. 1320)
Takuma Eiga
aka Takuma Yeiga
Founder of the famous Takuma school. Principally noted as a
painter of Buddhist pictures in the style of Li Lung-Yen of
the Song Dynasty and Ngan Hwui of the Yuan Dynasty.
TOBA SOUJOU 鳥羽僧正
(c.
11th C)
Toba Soujou
aka Toba Sojo
Abbot of the famous Toba school.
TOSA MITSUOKI 土佐光起
(21 Nov 1617 – 14 Nov 1691)
Tosa Mitsuoki
He was a Japanese painter. Tosa Mitsuoki was the successor
of the Tosa school after his father, Tosa Mitsunori
(1583–1638). Mitsuoki brought the Tosa school to Kyoto after
around 50 years in Sakai. When the school was settled in
Sakai, Mitsunori painted for townsmen. The school was not as
prolific as it once was when Mitsunobu, who painted many
fine scrolls (1434–1525) ran the school. Mitsuoki moved out
of Sakai with his father, in 1634 and into the city of
Kyoto. There, he hoped to revive the Tosa school to gain
status back into the Kyoto court. Around the time of 1654 he
gained a position as court painter (edokoro azukari) that
had for many years traditionally been held by the Tosa
family, but was in possession of the Kano school since the
Muromachi period (1338–1573).
TOSA MITSUSHIGE 土佐光茂
( - 1560)
Tosa Mitsushige
He was the son of Mitsunobu. He became Edokoro in 1532.
His daughter, Chiyo Mitsuhisa, also an artist, married Kano
Motonobu and followed the manner of her husband's school.
TOSA MITSUYOSHI 土佐光吉
( - 1772,
age 71)
Tosa Mitsuyoshi
He was the son of Mitsusuke.
Resource:
Descriptive and historical catalogue of a collection of
Japanese and Chinese paintings in the British Museum, William
Anderson, 1886.
The Monthly review, Volume 8, Sir Henry John Newbolt,
1902.
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