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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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