Kano Shoei

Japanese: 狩野松栄 - かのう・しょうえい

Year of death: Bunroku 1.10.20 (1592.11.23)
Year of birth: 1519
A painter from the Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods. Born in Kyoto as the third son of Kano Motonobu, he inherited the family business following the early deaths of his elder brothers. His given name was Naonobu, commonly known as Genshichiro and Oinosuke, and after shaving his head he took the name Shoei. In 1553 he participated in the production of sliding screen paintings at Ishiyama Hongan-ji Temple as an assistant to his father Motonobu, and then in 1563 he created and donated the "Great Nirvana Painting" (owned by Daitoku-ji Temple). In the same year, together with his son Eitoku, he created the sliding screen paintings (still extant) at Daitoku-ji Juko-in Temple, which was founded by Miyoshi Yoshitsugu, and was responsible for the sliding screen paintings "Playing Monkeys" and "Eight Views of Xiaoxiang." In the 12th year of the same year, he created and dedicated the "Rashomon Oni no Zu Henaku" (Picture of Demons at Ramshomon Gate) to Itsukushima Shrine. Shoei has traditionally been overshadowed by the great names of his father Motonobu and son Eitoku and has been content with low recognition, but his simple and gentle style of painting is extremely appealing.

(Satoru Sakakibara)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

没年：文禄1.10.20(1592.11.23)
生年：永正16(1519)
戦国・安土桃山時代の画家。狩野元信の3男として京都に生まれ,兄たちの早世により家督を継いだ。名は直信,通称源七郎,大炊助,剃髪して松栄と号した。天文22(1553)年父元信の助手として石山本願寺の障壁画制作に参加,次いで永禄6(1563)年大徳寺に「大涅槃図」(大徳寺蔵)を制作して寄進した。同9年三好義継が創建した大徳寺聚光院障壁画(現存)を息子の永徳と共に制作,「遊猿図」「瀟湘八景図」襖絵を担当した。また同12年厳島神社に「羅城門鬼之図扁額」を制作奉納している。松栄は父元信,息子永徳の巨名にかくれ,従来低い評価に甘んじていたが,その平明で優しい画風は極めて魅力的である。

(榊原悟)

出典　朝日日本歴史人物事典：（株）朝日新聞出版朝日日本歴史人物事典について　情報

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