Kouami Family

A family of Makie artists. The first Michinaga (1410-1478) served as a close attendant to the Ashikaga Shogun Yoshimasa, but was ordered by Yoshimasa to learn the art of Makie. He later mastered the technique and became one of Yoshimasa's artistic aides, the Doboshu, and became a Buddhist monk, taking the name Koami. Since then, his descendants have taken the name as their family name and inherited Makie as their family business, serving as Makie artists for the government from the Ashikaga Shogunate to the Tokugawa Shogunate. Their achievements are known from the "Kouami Genealogy" (manuscript by Shibata Zeshin, owned by Tokyo University of the Arts), and they were engaged in the construction of Makie for decorating furnishings for the enthronement of the Emperor, as well as furnishings for weddings and mausoleums for the repose of the souls of those in power. Orders were limited to the Imperial Court, the Shogun family, high-ranking nobles, and powerful samurai families. Therefore, the style expressed splendor while remaining solemn, and this trend progressed even further during the Edo period. Works intended for the possessions of powerful people, such as so-called "feudal lords," became more prominent, and they became formal and stereotyped, losing their freshness in the creative expression. On the other hand, town makie, such as the Rinpa, Koma, and Haritsu schools, which were makie artists of the townspeople class who sought free and stylish design expression, rose to prominence, and the activities of the descendants of the Koami family stagnated.

Next, we will list some noteworthy achievements from each generation. The 5th Sohaku (1484-1557), the second son of the 3rd Sokane, produced the lacquerware for Emperor Gonara's accession to the throne at the command of the Kanrei (regent), Hosokawa Takakuni. One of his belongings is the Sakura Sanjaku Makie Suzuribako (important cultural property, Muto family). The 6th Nagakiyo (?-1603), Sohaku's eldest son, produced the lacquerware for Emperor Ogimachi's accession to the throne at the command of Ashikaga Yoshiteru. He was awarded the title of "Tenkaichi" (number one in the world) by Hideyoshi. Nagakiyo's eldest son, the 7th generation Choan (1569-1610), was ordered by Hideyoshi to create the lacquerware for Emperor Goyozei's accession to the throne, and he also decorated the interior of the mausoleum of Toyotomi and his wife at Kodaiji Temple in Kyoto with lacquerware. He served the Tokugawa family after the Battle of Sekigahara. His younger brother Chogen (1572-1607) is famous for creating Oribe shelves under the guidance of Furuta Oribe. The 9th generation Naganori (?-1618), the younger brother of the 8th generation Chozen, created the various furnishings for Hidetada's daughter Tofukumon'in when she entered the Imperial Court. The tenth head of the family, Nagashige (1599-1651), was the third son of Nagayasu. He produced the lacquerware for the accession of Emperor Meisho at the command of his chief retainer, and also produced the lacquerware for the wedding of Iemitsu's daughter, Princess Chiyo, to Tokugawa Mitsutomo of Owari (Important Cultural Property, Tokugawa Reimei-kai). The designs were inspired by the characters Hatsune and Kocho from The Tale of Genji, and there were 47 pieces of the former and 10 pieces of the latter, using elaborate and gorgeous gold and silver taka-makie techniques, decorated with gold and silver carved metal fittings and coral. He also produced lacquerware for the weddings of powerful feudal lords such as Maeda Mitsutaka and nobles such as Konoe Naotsugu. The 11th head of the family, Nagafusa (1628-1682), was Nagashige's eldest son. At Ietsuna's command, he produced many items for the Imperial Court, the Shogunate, and various feudal lords, including the maki-e furnishings for the accession of Emperor Gosai and Emperor Reigen. When Ietsuna's mausoleum was built at Toeizan in Ueno, he worked with Hishida Fusasada as the head of the maki-e work, and after becoming a monk he took the name Nagayasu. The 12th head of the family, Nagayasu (1661-1723), was Nagafusa's eldest son. He was also known as Nagayoshi and Nagamichi. For the marriage of Tsunayoshi's daughter, Tsuruhime, and Kii Tsunanori, he produced maki-e on incense shelves, small items, and other items. In 1689 (Genroku 2), he worked alongside Komayasuaki as the head of the lacquer artisans for the construction of Nikko Toshogu Shrine, and reigned supreme during the Joken-in period (the reign of Tokugawa Tsunayoshi), a period when lacquer art reached a period of technical maturity in the history of lacquer art.

[Goka loyal retainer]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

蒔絵師(まきえし)の家系。初代道長(みちなが)（1410―1478）は足利(あしかが)将軍義政(よしまさ)の近習(きんじゅう)として仕えていたが、義政の命によって蒔絵の技を習得し、のちその技能を習熟し、義政の芸術家側近である同朋衆(どうぼうしゅう)の一人となり、入道して幸阿弥と称した。それ以来、子孫は代々それを家名とし、蒔絵を家業として継承し、足利将軍家以降、徳川将軍家に至るまで、政権の蒔絵師として仕えた。その業績は「幸阿弥系図」（柴田是真(しばたぜしん)写本、東京芸術大学蔵）によって知られ、天皇即位に使用する調度類をはじめとして、婚礼調度や権力者の霊魂を鎮める廟(びょう)などを飾る蒔絵の施工に従事している。注文の相手は禁裏(きんり)、将軍家をはじめとし、高位の公家(くげ)、有力な武家に限定されていた。したがって、作風は荘重なうちに華麗さを表現し、とくに江戸時代になると、いっそうこの傾向は進展した。いわゆる「大名もの」といった権力者の持ち物を目的とした作品のみが色濃くなり、格式張って類型化し、造形表現に新鮮さがなくなった。その反面、自由で粋(いき)な意匠表現を求めた町人階級の蒔絵師である琳派(りんぱ)、古満(こま)、破笠(はりつ)系などの町蒔絵が台頭し、幸阿弥家の子孫の活躍は沈滞した。

　次に、代々の人物から特記すべき事績をあげる。3代宗金の次男の5代宗伯(そうはく)（1484―1557）は、管領(かんれい)細川高国の命により後奈良天皇(ごならてんのう)即位の蒔絵調度を製作した。遺品に桜山鵲蒔絵硯箱(さくらさんじゃくまきえすずりばこ)（重要文化財・武藤家）がある。宗伯の長男、6代長清(ながきよ)（？―1603）は、足利義輝(よしてる)の命で正親町天皇(おおぎまちてんのう)即位の蒔絵調度を製作。秀吉より「天下一」の称号を授かった。長清の長男、7代長晏(ちょうあん)（1569―1610）は、秀吉の命で後陽成天皇(ごようぜいてんのう)即位の蒔絵調度を製作、京都・高台寺の豊臣(とよとみ)夫妻の霊廟(れいびょう)内を蒔絵で加飾したのも彼である。関ヶ原の戦い以後徳川家に仕えた。その弟長玄（1572―1607）は古田織部(ふるたおりべ)の指導で織部棚をつくったことで有名。9代長法(ながのり)（？―1618）は8代長善(ながよし)の弟で、秀忠(ひでただ)の息女東福門院が入内(じゅだい)したときの諸道具類を製作する。10代長重(ながしげ)（1599―1651）は長晏の三男で、家老の命により明正天皇(めいしょうてんのう)即位の蒔絵調度類を製作したほか、家光(いえみつ)の息女千代姫が尾張(おわり)の徳川光友(みつとも)へ嫁入りした際の蒔絵調度類（重要文化財・徳川黎明会）も製作した。意匠は『源氏物語』の初音(はつね)と胡蝶(こちょう)から取材され、前者47点、後者10点に及び、技法は精巧で華美な金銀高蒔絵を駆使し、金銀の彫り金具、珊瑚(さんご)で飾る。ほかに前田光高らの有力大名や近衛尚嗣(このえなおつぐ)らの公家の婚礼蒔絵調度も製作している。11代長房（1628―1682）は長重の長男。家綱の命により後西天皇(ごさいてんのう)や霊元天皇(れいげんてんのう)の即位蒔絵調度をはじめ、宮中、将軍家、諸大名の調度類を多く製作。家綱の霊廟を上野東叡山(とうえいざん)に造営の際に菱田房貞(ひしだふささだ)とともに頭取となって蒔絵を施工し、入道して長安と称した。12代長救(ながやす)（1661―1723）は長房の長男。長好、長道とも称した。綱吉の息女鶴姫(つるひめ)と紀伊綱教(つなのり)との婚姻に際し、香棚、小道具などに蒔絵を施している。1689年（元禄2）日光東照宮造営に古満安明(こまやすあき)とともに蒔絵師の頭取として活躍し、蒔絵史上、技巧的成熟期に達した常憲院(じょうけんいん)時代（徳川綱吉の治世）に君臨した。

［郷家忠臣］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例