{"product_id":"landscapes-and-figures-circa-1700-1750-a-set-of-six-sumi-e-ink-and-wash-paintings-in-the-style-of-the-founder-of-the-unkoku-school","title":"Landscapes and Figures, Circa 1700-1750. A Set of Six Sumi-E Ink and Wash Paintings in the Style of the Founder of the Unkoku School","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eTitle: Landscapes and Figures, Circa 1700-1750. A Set of Six Sumi-E Ink and Wash Paintings in the Style of the Founder of the Unkoku School\u003cbr\u003eAuthor: After Unkoku Togan; Likely Unkoku School Student\u003cbr\u003eCondition: Very Good\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eA Mid Edo Period, 18th century set of six beautiful Sumi-E ink and wash paintings, attributed and very much in the style of \u003cb\u003eUnkoku Togan \u003c\/b\u003e(1547-1618), student to Sesshu, and found of the Unkoku School. Lacking any scroll mounts, they were likely meant to be used as folding screen compositions and likely produced by a student of the Unkoku School.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eEach painting utilizes various shading techniques, with incredible detail to foliage. Even the singular painting of a crow has been meticulously painted with numerous brush strokes and wash methods.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eHis artist seals are present, signed \u003ci\u003eUnkoku\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eTogan\u003c\/i\u003e. As he only started using that name from 1593 onwards, it only makes sense that these would be productions later in his life.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eRaised with the childhood name Jihei, \u003cb\u003eTogan\u003c\/b\u003e was born in 1547 as the second son of Hara Naoi, the lord of Momitake Castle in Hizen Province and a samurai descended from Kajiwara Kagesue.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eShortly before or after the downfall of his master's family, he turned to painting and studied under the Kano school in Kyoto, with a focus on emulating the works of Sesshu. His teacher is believed to have been either Kano Shōei or Kano Eitoku, but it is unclear. However, recent evidence has been discovered of him signing \"Kano Togan\" on official documents from the Mori clan, so it seems likely that he had sufficient connections to be able to use the Kano surname, at least in official settings. He then returned to the western provinces and was employed by Mori Terumoto in 1573. Togan was also skilled in renga and the tea ceremony, and attended with Togan's patron, Sase Motoyoshi , serving as a sort of \u003ci\u003eotagoshu\u003c\/i\u003e (a group of people who attended the tea ceremony) for Terumoto. By this time, he had already established a bold style reminiscent of Sesshū 's ink paintings. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eIn 1593, Terumoto awarded Togan a stipend of 100 koku, Sesshū's \"Sansui Chokan\" scroll, and Sesshū's former residence, \"Unkoku-an,\" ordering him to revive Sesshū's style of painting, which had already been discontinued. As a result, he changed his name to Unkoku Togan, declared himself Sesshū's legitimate successor, and founded the Unkoku School. He competed with contemporaries from the Kano and Hasegawa schools, and left behind works not only in Hagi, where the Mori clan's castle was located, but also at Buttsuji, Tsuyama, Kyoto, and even as far away as Edo. While following Sesshū's style, he also established a richly decorative style characteristic of Momoyama culture. His works include large-scale portraits, authentic landscapes, and paintings of Gunma. In recent years, it has been suggested that Togan may have been influenced by Yi Dynasty painting. He died on May 3, 1618, at the age of 72.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eSix large paintings on paper, Smallest two being 124.5 x 51.5 and 124.5 x 52.5 for the other four\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eThese paintings are in very good shape, with some old discoloration and very slight paint loss. There is minor restoration to the rear of each painting, and they are all curled due to prior owners having rolled them up, though flattening out the curls should not prove difficult.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"That Guy With The Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51632564437303,"sku":null,"price":5500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0281\/1589\/4371\/files\/20260106_181549.jpg?v=1769961241","url":"https:\/\/thatguywiththebooks.com\/products\/landscapes-and-figures-circa-1700-1750-a-set-of-six-sumi-e-ink-and-wash-paintings-in-the-style-of-the-founder-of-the-unkoku-school","provider":"That Guy With The Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}