Title: Gajō shunjū sansui to kyūchū heian bijin-zu (Picture Album: Spring and Autumn Landscapes and Heian Beauty at the Imperial Court), Circa 1720-1760. Three Yamato-E Paintings and Two Pages of Beautifully Decorated Calligraphy by the Tosa School Head
Author: Attributed to Tosa Mitsuyoshi
Condition: Good
A Mid Edo Period, 18th century album of Tosa School paintings, entitled Gajō shunjū sansui to kyūchū heian bijin-zu, or Picture Album: Spring and Autumn Landscapes and Heian Beauty at the Imperial Court. The work is attributed to Tosa Mitsuyoshi (1700-1772), one of the Edo Period heads of the family.
There are three beautiful Yamato-e paintings, each with beautiful golden sprays, displaying a Spring and Autumn landscape, and a Heian beauty at the Imperial Court, like a scene out of the Tale of Genji.
There are also two beautiful pages of calligraphy, on individual sheets of shikishi (poetry paper), all done in gold, with various sprays forming clouds and other shapes to compliment each piece of poetry.
Tosa Mitsuyoshi was a painter and head of the esteemed Tosa School, active in the mid-Edo period in Japan. He was the son of Tosa Mitsusuke and became a painter at the surprisingly young age of 11 in 1707. This was due to the fact his father died only months after the passing of his grandfather, Tosa Mitsunari. Despite this young age, he swiftly moved within the ranks of the noble hierarchy, making it to Senior Fifth rank by 1737, at the age of 38.
Of the works produced, among them was the noted the Yuki Nuki folding screen for the Daijosai ceremony for Emperor Sakuramachi. In 1746, he suffered from an eye disease and resigned from his post, shaved his head, and took the posthumous Buddhist name of Jokaku. He passed away on August 29, 1776, at the age of 73, and as of today, less than 30 examples of his works are documented.
The paintings have been finely bound in album format, with decorated, floral brocade covers.
One painting album in orihon format (28 x 24.9 cm), 5 thick leaves
This album is in good shape, with some wear and fabric peeling to the front cover. The front and rear boards are slightly loosening and hinges cracked but holding firm. The first and last paintings are slightly worn away at side.