| 1 | Sesshu Known as Sesshu ( 1420_-_1506 ) , he was an ink painter and Zen monk active in the Muromachi period in the latter half of the 15th century , and was called a master painter . He revolutionized the Japanese ink painting . He was given the posthumous name “ Toyo ” or “ Sesshu ( 拙宗 ) . ” Born in Bicchu Province , he moved to Suo Province after entering Shokoku_-_ji Temple in Kyoto . Later he accompanied a mission to Ming Dynasty China and learned Chinese ink painting . His works were many , including not only Chinese_-_style landscape paintings , but also portraits and pictures of flowers and birds . His bold compositions and strong brush strokes constituted an extremely distinctive style . 6 of his extant works are designated national treasures . Indeed , he is considered to be extraordinary among Japanese painters . For this reason , there are a great many artworks that are attributed to him , such_as folding screens with pictures of flowers and that birds are painted on them . There are many works that even experts can not agree if they are really his work or not . |
| 2 | Representative works include : Long Landscape Scroll , Summer and Winter Landscape , View of Amanohashidate , Broken Ink Landscape , Portrait of Ekadanpi , Fall and Winter Landscape , and Folding Screen of Birds and Flowers of the 4 Seasons . |
| 3 | His disciples include Shugetsu , Soen , and Toshun . |
| 4 | The Artist 's Life |
| 5 | He was born in Akahama , Bicchu Province ( present_-_day Soja City , Okayama Prefecture ) , in 1420 . He was born to a Samurai family called ODA . He entered nearby Hofuku_-_ji Temple ( Soja City ) while young . He moved to Kyoto 's Shokoku_-_ji Temple at the age of around 10 , and while studying and having Zen training under Shuto SHUNRIN , learned painting from Shubun TENSHO . In around 1454 , he moved to Suo Province , and built his studio , Unkokuan ( Yamaguchi City , Yamaguchi Prefecture ) , with the patronage of the feudal lord , Ouchi . In around 1465 , he acquired a calligraphy work by Bonki SOSEKI on which the characters of Sesshu were written , and requested Shinkei RYUKO to write a certificate about the origin of the name , Sesshu . It is believed that after that , he came to be known as Sesshuu . It is thought that until this time he was known as Touyou SESSHU , but there is not a firm source to indicate that SESSHU and Sesshu were the same person . In 1468 , he sailed to Ming Dynasty China with a mission . He familiarized himself with authentic Chinese ink painting and studied it for about 2 years . In the fall of 1481 , he traveled to Mino Province . There is no reliable record of the date of his death , but most put it at 1506 . Other records write that he died in 1502 . In addition to the date of his death , there are many other aspects of Sesshu 's life that remain unknown . |
| 6 | A Rat Drawn In Tears |
| 7 | There is an interesting episode about Sesshu . A young Sesshu who entered Hofuku_-_ji Temple only liked pictures and did not want to read sutras ; so the monks of the temple tied him to a pillar in the building enshrining a Buddhist statue . However , when the monks saw that he drew a rat with his tears that fell on the floor by using his big toe , they were impressed so they allowed him to draw pictures . This is thought to be the most well known story about Sesshu . |
| 8 | The story first appeared in “ Honcho Gashi ” compiled by Eino KANO ( published in 1693 , the Edo period ) . |
| 9 | Deification |
| 10 | Sesshu started to be deified in the Edo period . It is thought to be because the Kano School that ruled painting circles at the time venerated him as a master , and feudal lords wanted to have Sesshu 's artwork . It is said that this is why the number of artworks attributed to Sesshu increased . Reflecting Sesshu 's popularity , a Japanese puppet drama <sol> Kabuki work entitled “ The Gion Religious Festival ” was created . The drama was first performed in January 1758 . The scene of Kinkaku_-_ji Temple , where Sesshu 's granddaughter , Yukihime , takes an active role , is famous and similar works were performed . Today , Sesshu who gave birth to one of Japanese cultures is a leading historical figure of this country . |