The Kano Painting Style
In the 15th century, a family called the Kano rose in nobility with the support of the Ashikaga shoguns and the local daimyo. At around the same time (from around the late 15th and early 16th century), a man named Kano Masanobu officially established the Kano School, which was located in Kyoto. This school was a group of professional painters who were famous for their style and paintings. With the school being established, it was also divided into two branches; the Kano and the Tosa. In 1600 AD, the main branch of the Kano School was moved to Edo, as the Tosa School stayed in Kyoto.
The Kano Style was similar to the Chinese painting style through the subject of their paintings and ink technique, but also differed in the expression in the painting. Early on, the Kano were able to reach their position in the social class through their interpretations of Chinese paintings, bird and flower paintings, and figural themes with the ink painting style. As generations passed by, many of the Kano painters added to the Kano style. For example, Kano Eitoku laid down the foundations and added a new spirit to Kano paintings, where as Kano Tan’yu created a new style that was similar to the Kano style. During Kano Eitoku’s time:
The Kano Style was similar to the Chinese painting style through the subject of their paintings and ink technique, but also differed in the expression in the painting. Early on, the Kano were able to reach their position in the social class through their interpretations of Chinese paintings, bird and flower paintings, and figural themes with the ink painting style. As generations passed by, many of the Kano painters added to the Kano style. For example, Kano Eitoku laid down the foundations and added a new spirit to Kano paintings, where as Kano Tan’yu created a new style that was similar to the Kano style. During Kano Eitoku’s time:
[He] and his followers perfected [a] fusion of styles in monumental wall paintings and screens made for temples and for the palaces and castles of military leaders of the Momoyama and early Edo period (late sixteenth-early seventeenth century) They used a 'Chinese' firm ink line and broad, bright colours, but introduced a Japanese sensibility and choice of subjects, including figure and landscape, and extensive glowing gold leaf. (The British Museum-Source 9) |
In addition to this, the depth of the Kano painting continuously worked into 2 planes of painting, which later on became only 1 plane. With this, the boldness of the brushstrokes in Kano are extremely distinctive where “Surface values and flat decorative treatment were emphasized on screens and sliding panels” (Encyclopædia Britannica-Source 6).