Title: Shichifukujin (The Seven Gods of Fortune), Circa 1650-1750. An Early to Mid Edo Painting of the Classical Japanese Deities of Fortune and Luck
Author: Attributed to Kano School Artist
Condition: Good
An Early to Mid Edo Period, 17th to mid 18th century painting depicting the Shichifukujin, also known as the Seven Gods of Fortune, early Japanese Deities of Fortune and Luck.
While the gods have been recognized in Japan for over a thousand years, only one of them has a native Japanese mythological origin. The others have origins stemming from Mahayana Buddhism and from from Chinese Taoism, which can also explain their differing appearances at times. It should also be noted that the seven gods were not mentioned as a collective until the year 1420, and later compiled by the priest Tenkai, who sought to select deities possessing the perfect virtues of longevity, fortune, popularity, sincerity, kindness, dignity, and magnanimity.
Continuing in a rough chronological order of when they began to be worshiped, are the Seven:
Ebisu, who hails from the period of the gods Izanami and Izanagi, is the god of prosperity and wealth in business, and abundance in crops. Among the gods his figure is most common in modern day establishments, including restaurants and households.
Daikokuten, God of commerce and prosperity, and at times considered patron to cooks, farmer and bankers. His depiction comes from a syncretic conflation (also known as Shinbutsu-shūgō) of the Buddhist death deity Mahakala with the Shinto deity Okuninush.
Bishamonten, God of fortune in war and battles. His origins stem from the Hindu god Kubera, and has also been known as "Vaisravana"
Benzaiten also stems from Hinduism, as she is derived from the goddess Saraswati. She is the goddess of financial fortune, talen, beauty, and more, being a patron of artists, writers, dancers, and others of the arts.
Jurōjin is the god of the elderly and of longevity, originating from the Chinese Taoist god, the Old Man of the South Pole.
Hotei is the god of fortune and popularity, guardian of children, and patron of diviners and barmen. It was not until the Edo Period that the Japanese began to more firmly believe in Hotei, though his origins stem from Budai, the Chinese monk now venerated as the future or Maitreya Buddha.
The final deity to be depicted is Fukurokuju (sometimes omitted due to overlap and confusion with Jurojin), God of wisdom and longevity. It is believed that he is a Japanese assimilation of the Chinese Three Star Gods.
The painting has been stamped with the standard red vase of the Kano School, though I do not recognize the exact artist seals in question here.
Certainly, it emulates the styles of earlier Kano School artists such as Kano Motonobu, and the depictions of the Shichifukujin do not look to be Late Edo or Meiji, so to place this painting into the Early Edo Period is not unreasonable.
The painting has been neatly mounted onto a brocade decorated kakejiku (hanging scroll), with jikusaki (knobs) made of lacquered wood. There is a wooden box to accompany it, preserving the scroll.
One painting mounted on a kakejiku (hanging scroll), 156 x 91 cm full size, 60 x 78 cm main painting
This painting is in good shape, with some rubbing and wear to the outer cover, and a few holes developed at the top, not affecting the painting. There is wear and creasing to the main painting itself, with minor paint chipping in places.