Kanou School / Schools of Nihonga 002

Kanou School / Kanou-ha

Kanou school is a school of painting from the mid-Muromachi period to the early Meiji period that follows the lineage of the *Chinese-style painting. It was founded by Kanou Masanobu (1434-1530) who became the official artist for the shogunate. Kanou School established its style as a leading school of painting by fusing the Chinese-style painting and *yamato-e painting. The screen or wall painting in gold with its rich colors and expressions using sumi ink reflects the taste of those days well and may be said to be the most representative style of expression of Kanou School. Motonobu (1476-1559), the eldest son of Masanobu, established the foundation for the development of Kanou School in terms of new painting styles and management of studios. Eitoku (1543-90), Masanobu’s grandson, produced luxurious and splendid screen or mural paintings in the castles which were very important under the goverment Oda and Toyotomi.


*Chinese-style painting / Kanga:
“Kanga” refers to a style of painting of the medieval and modern periods, and also to the paintings themselves, that follow the painting style of the Song and Yuan dynasties in China. At first it was called kara-e, but after the Edo period the term kanga began to be used in order to distinguish it from Chinese paintings of earlier times. Chinese style painting is in direct contrast conceptually to Yamato-e painting. Whereas in Yamato-e, the painting style of the Tang dynasty has been Japanized to reflect the aesthetic sense and themes particular to Japan, the Chinese-style painting is an imported painting style that is based on Chinese painting techniques. The lineage of the Chinese-style painting was inherited by Takuma School and Kanou School. Merging with the yamafo-e painting, the Chinese-style painting developed into an expression of an aesthetic awareness distinctive to Japan.

*Yamato-e painting:
In the latter half of the 9th century, during the Heian period, as court culture became more Japanized, paintings depicting scenery characteristic of Japan began to appear in response to the demand for paintings that express Japanese sentiments. From about the end of the 10 th century, this kind of painting, inheriting the style of the Heian period, began to be called yamato-e, to distinguish it from the Chinese painting/Chinese-style painting (later known as kanga), or paintings with Chinese themes that were influenced by Song and Yuan painting styles. The style of the yamafo-e painting was transmitted through edokoro (official bureau of painting) which had been in charge of court paintings since the Heian period. When the Tosa family inherited the administration of the edokoro (the courtly office for paintings) in the Muromachi period, the word yamato-e began to be used to refer not only to themes and style, but also to the concepts of the Tosa School.

 

Eitoku Kanou / Chinese guardian lions (Karajishi)

Eitoku Kanou / Chinese guardian lions (Karajishi)

Eitoku Kanou / Folding Screens of Scenes In and Around Kyoto (right panel)

Eitoku Kanou / Folding Screens of Scenes In and Around Kyoto (right panel)

Eitoku Kanou / Folding Screens of Scenes In and Around Kyoto (left panel)

Eitoku Kanou / Folding Screens of Scenes In and Around Kyoto (left panel)

Motonobu Kanou / White-robed Kannon, Bodhisattva of Compassion

Motonobu Kanou / White-robed Kannon, Bodhisattva of Compassion

 

After the Edo period, Tanyuu (1602-74), Eitoku’s grandson, became the official artist for the Tokugawa shogunate and established the largest school organization. Although family lineage and rank were maintained by inheritance, because it continued to provide artistic training based on the principles of the model painting, Kanou School style gradually lost its creative character. Unkoku School, Hasegawa School and Kaihou School, rival schools of Kanou School, produced outstanding works of art and continued into the Edo period. The most representative works of Kanou School are Motonobu’s screen or wall paintings at Daisen-in of Daitokuji temple, Eitoku’s screen or wall paintings at Jukou-in of Daitokuji temple, and Tanyuu’s meticulously studied and reduced-size copies of traditional paintings known as Tanyuu shukuzu.

Motonobu Kanou / Flowers and Birds of the four seasons01 in Daisen-in Daitoku-ji temple

Motonobu Kanou / Flowers and Birds of the four seasons01 in Daisen-in of  Daitoku-ji temple

Motonobu Kanou / Flowers and Birds of the four seasons02 in Daisen-in of Daitoku-ji temple

Motonobu Kanou / Flowers and Birds of the four seasons02 in Daisen-in of Daitoku-ji temple

Tanyuu Kanou / Plum, Bamboo Trees and Birds in Snow

Tanyuu Kanou / Plum, Bamboo Trees and Birds in Snow

Tanyuu Kanou / Phoenix

Tanyuu Kanou / Phoenix

 

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Our Feelings For Kakejiku


 The Japanese people have long set a high value on aesthetic senses since ancient times. As a result, the
peculiar culture which is not seen in other countries blossomed and many aspects of the modern Japanese
culture come from it. Parts of Japanese culture has been introduced to people in other countries recently,
so the number of people from other countries who are interested in Japanese culture has been increasing.
However, the Japanese aesthetic senses, which are the bases of Japanese culture, have been nurtured
through a long history, intertwining various elements intricately, such as climate, geographical features,
religion, customs and so on. Therefore, they are very difficult to understand not only for people from other
countries, but even for the Japanese people. I think the best tool which conveys these difficult senses
understandably is a “kakejiku.”
 The kakejiku (a hanging scroll; a work of calligraphy or a painting which is mounted and hung in an
alcove or on a wall) is a traditional Japanese art. It's no exaggeration to say that paintings are what
express aesthetic senses at all times and places. The kakejiku is an art which expresses the Japanese
aesthetic senses. The kakejiku has long been used in traditional Japanese events, daily life and so on since
ancient times. As a result, there are various customs of kakejiku in Japan; kakejiku and the life of the
Japanese are closely related. We can see Japanese values through kakejiku.
 The kakejiku is a cultural tradition which the Japanese people should be proud of. However, many people
in other countries don't know much about it because it hasn't been showcased as much. This is why I
decided to try to introduce it. The kakejiku world is very interesting and beautiful. We want not only the
Japanese, but also many people from other countries to know and enjoy it. I hope that many people will
love kakejiku someday.

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Company Profile
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Name Art Nomura


President Tatsuji Nomura


Founded1973


Established1992


Address7-23 Babadori, Tarumi-ku, Kobe city,
Hyougo Prefecture, 655-0021, Japan



Capital10 million yen


URLhttp://nomurakakejiku.com


Our Business

 Art Nomura is an art dealer which produces kakejiku (hanging scrolls). We mount many paintings and calligraphic works in kakejiku in my factory. Kakejiku are our main product. We also remount and repair old or damaged kakejiku. We share the traditional Japanese art of kakejiku with people all over the world.



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 The Japanese people have long set a high value on aesthetic senses since ancient times. As a result, the
peculiar culture which is not seen in other countries blossomed and many aspects of the modern Japanese
culture come from it. Parts of Japanese culture has been introduced to people in other countries recently,
so the number of people from other countries who are interested in Japanese culture has been increasing.
However, the Japanese aesthetic senses, which are the bases of Japanese culture, have been nurtured
through a long history, intertwining various elements intricately, such as climate, geographical features,
religion, customs and so on. Therefore, they are very difficult to understand not only for people from other
countries, but even for the Japanese people. I think the best tool which conveys these difficult senses
understandably is a “kakejiku.”
 The kakejiku (a hanging scroll; a work of calligraphy or a painting which is mounted and hung in an
alcove or on a wall) is a traditional Japanese art. It's no exaggeration to say that paintings are what
express aesthetic senses at all times and places. The kakejiku is an art which expresses the Japanese
aesthetic senses. The kakejiku has long been used in traditional Japanese events, daily life and so on since
ancient times. As a result, there are various customs of kakejiku in Japan; kakejiku and the life of the
Japanese are closely related. We can see Japanese values through kakejiku.
 The kakejiku is a cultural tradition which the Japanese people should be proud of. However, many people
in other countries don't know much about it because it hasn't been showcased as much. This is why I
decided to try to introduce it. The kakejiku world is very interesting and beautiful. We want not only the
Japanese, but also many people from other countries to know and enjoy it. I hope that many people will
love kakejiku someday.

(or press ESC or click the overlay)