Title: Kanō-ha Emakimono (Kano School Emakimono), Circa 1635-1685. Twelve Beautiful Silk Paintings in the Style of an Early Head of the Kano School of Art, Seven Meters Long
Author: Stated Attribution to Kano Yasunobu; Another Kano School Artist
Condition: Very Good
An Early Edo Period, 17th century silk emakimono handscroll, beautifully hand painted, dubbed Kanō-ha Emakimono, or Kano School Emakimono.
As the name would indicate, this scroll depicts 12 beautifully rendered silk paintings, all rendered in color, by an artist of the notable Kano School of art. There are several magnificent landscapes, the gods of thunder and wind, Raijin and Fujin utilizing their mighty powers, a Buddhist arhat, and more.
The paintings have a stated attribution to Kano Yasunobu (1614-1685), founder of the Nakahashi Kano School, with early labels to the wooden box.
Born December 1, 1613, in Kyoto, he was the third son of Kano Takanobu, adopted by Kano Sadanobu and succeeded the head of the Kano family. He was also the youngest brother of Kanō Tan'yū, one of the most prominent painters of the Kanō School's history. During the Kan'ei era (1624-1644), he established the Nakahashi Kano family in Edo as an inner palace painter for the shogunate. He participated in the production of wall paintings for the Imperial Palace, and during the Enpo era, as the highest leader of the Kano school, he painted the "Kensho Shoji" (Signs and Sages) in the Shishinden Hall. He passed away on September 4, 1672, at the age of 73. His other works include the sliding door painting "Seven Sages in the Bamboo Grove and Four Loves" at Gyokurin-in Temple, Daitokuji Temple.
While the paintings in this emakimono are certainly of high quality and indicative of the Kano School’s style, the paintings lack both his signature and any type of artist seal. However, these paintings certainly display his style, and the general style of the Kano School, so it is easy enough to concluded that a talented artist of the school certainly produced them one way or another.
The paintings have been laid down and bound in a scroll for preservation, with a beautiful brocade decorated cover, and there are jikusaki (knobs). There is a battered wooden box to accompany it, preserving the scroll.
One brocade decorated emakimono (picture scroll) on silk, 30 x 720cm full size, 30 x 690 cm main painting
This emakimono is in very good shape, with minimal wear or rubbing to the brocade. There are several worm tracks, mostly marginal, and a large stain to the final painting. The first painting is slightly loosened from the mounting.