Kano Koi

A painter of the late Momoyama period. He is known to have participated with Kano Mitsunobu and Watanabe Ryokei in the production of the sliding screen paintings at Kodaiji Temple in Kyoto, which was built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi's wife, Kita no Mandokoro, to pray for the repose of his soul after his death, and is counted as one of Mitsunobu's most outstanding disciples. Koi was a personal disciple of Mokkei and Sesshu, and was also well versed in the classical techniques of ink painting. His greatest achievement was that he served as the guardian of Mitsunobu's younger brother Takanobu's three surviving children, Morinobu (Tan'yu), Naonobu, and Yasunobu, and he contributed greatly to the formation of the Edo Kano style. Perhaps due to these achievements, he later served as an artist for the Kishu Tokugawa family and was also awarded the title of Hokkyo. He passed away on July 17, 1630. He was buried at Shakutoku-ji Temple (Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo). His representative works include the sliding screen paintings in the Shiroshoin study of the Ninomaru Palace at Nijo Castle, the Landscape Screen (Tokyo National Museum), and the Kannon Dragon and Tiger (Kenpuku-ji Temple).

[Satoru Sakakibara]

"Complete Collection of Japanese Art Paintings 9: Kano Eitoku and Mitsunobu" by Doi Tsuguyoshi (1981, Shueisha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

桃山後期の画家。豊臣(とよとみ)秀吉の夫人北政所(きたのまんどころ)が、秀吉の没後その冥福(めいふく)を祈るために創建した京都・高台寺(こうだいじ)の障壁画(しょうへきが)制作に狩野光信(みつのぶ)、渡辺了慶とともに参加したことが知られ、光信のもっとも優れた弟子の一人に数えられる。牧渓(もっけい)や雪舟に私淑し、水墨画の古典的画法にも通暁した興以が果たした最大の功績は、光信の弟孝信(たかのぶ)の遺児守信（探幽(たんゆう)）、尚信(なおのぶ)、安信3兄弟の後見としてその指導にあたったことで、彼は江戸狩野様式の形成に大いに貢献した。そうした功績ゆえか、のち紀州徳川家に絵師として仕え、また法橋(ほっきょう)にも叙せられた。寛永(かんえい)13年7月17日没。種徳寺（東京都港区赤坂）に葬られた。代表作に、二条城二の丸御殿白書院障壁画、『山水図屏風(びょうぶ)』（東京国立博物館）、『観音竜虎(かんのんりゅうこ)図』（建福寺）などがある。

［榊原　悟］

『土居次義著『日本美術絵画全集9　狩野永徳・光信』（1981・集英社）』

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