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Hasegawaha 長谷川派 | ||||||
KEY WORD : art history / paintings | ||||||
A school
of painters active in the 16c and the 17c, founded by Hasegawa Touhaku 長谷川等伯
(1539-1610) who is thought to have come from the province of Noto 能登, Ishikawa
prefecture. Many aspects of Touhaku's life and oeuvre remain unclear. It
has been postulated that early in his career he used the name Nobuharu 信春
(also read Shinshun) and studied with Soga Joushou 曽我紹祥 (dates unknown)
of Echizen 越前 (now Fukui prefecture). The name Hasegawa Nobuharu is inscribed
on several paintings including depictions of Buddhist figures, portraits,
and flowers and birds. These works exhibit a more delicate touch than the
paintings bearing the signature or seals of Hasegawa Touhaku . According
to records, Touhaku also studied for a period with the Kanou school *Kanouha
狩野派, perhaps in Kyoto; however, soon he turned away from the Kanou style
and favored instead the tradition of Sesshuu Touyou 雪舟等楊 (1420-1506), the
renowned ink painter *suibokuga
水墨画, of the late Muromachi period. It may be that Touhaku studied with Toushun
等春 (active ca. 1506-42), a pupil of Sesshuu. Touhaku claimed to be a fifth
generation descendent of Sesshuu, but he may have invented this claim as
a means to attract patrons away from the rival Kanou painters, the preeminent
school of his day. Assisted by influential acquaintances, such as the tea
master and aesthete Sen Rikyuu 千利休 (1522-91), Touhaku was able to secure
a number of major commissions. As a mature artist, Touhaku worked extensively
for Zen temples in Kyoto, emulating in particular the art of Muqi (Jp:
Mokkei 牧谿: later 13c, see *sougenga
宋元画). Despite his close ties with members of the Zen sect, Touhaku followed
the teachings of *Nichiren
日蓮. Nittsuu 日通, a priest of the Nichiren sect living at Honpouji 本法寺 of
Kyoto, was responsible for recording Touhaku's comments on painting in the
*TOUHAKU GASETSU
等伯画説. In his later years, Touhaku created masterpieces in suggestive, lyrical
monochrome, as well as works of a more colorful and bold nature, such as
the screen paintings of Maple Tree and Autumn Plants Kaede akikusa-zu
楓秋草図 ; (around 1592) in the Chishakuin 智積院, Kyoto. In this work, Touhaku
may have been assisted by his atelier, which is said to have included four
sons who took the name Hasegawa and many followers. The most accomplished
painter among Touhaku's sons was apparently the eldest, Kyuuzou 久蔵 (1568-93),
who is credited with the screen painting Cherry Trees Sakura-zu
桜図 in the Chishakuin. Touhaku's second son may have been Soutaku 宗宅 (? -1611),
who supposedly received the title of hokkyou 法橋. Sakon 左近, perhaps
his third son, adopted Touhaku's reverence for Sesshuu, referring to himself
as the sixth generation descendent of Sesshuu. Souya 宗也 (1590-1667), who
may have been Touhaku's fourth son is known to have executed a number of
works, including a depiction of The Willow Bridge and Water Wheel Ryuukyou
suisha-zu 柳橋水車図. The style of late members of the Hasegawa School becomes
increasingly close to the Kanou school style, and by the 17c the Hasegawa
school largely fades into obscurity. |
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(C)2001 Japanese Architecture and Art Net Users System. No reproduction or republication without written permission. 掲載のテキスト・写真・イラストなど、全てのコンテンツの無断複製・転載を禁じます。 |
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