Kanō Eitoku
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Kanō Eitoku (狩野 永徳 February 16, 1543 - October 12, 1590) was a Japanese painter and founder of the Kano school of Japanese painting during the Azuchi-Momoyama period of Japanese history. Known for his elegant and unique style, many of his extant paintings are national treasures.
Born in Kyoto, Eitoku's grandfather Kano Motonobu was an official painter for the Ashikaga shogunate. Under his grandfather's guidance, he started to paint at an early age developing upon his grandfather's style which had influence from Chinese painting.
During his lifetime, Eitoku's patrons included Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi. His standing screen, sliding door, wall, and ceiling paintings decorated Nobunaga's Azuchi castle and Hideyoshi's residence in Kyoto and Osaka castle. Contemporary accounts indicate that Eitoku was one of the most highly sought-after artists of his time, and received many wealthy and powerful patrons.
Unfortunately, most of his works were ruined or destroyed in the turmoil of the Sengoku period, however those that do still exist provide testimony to his talent, power and wealth of his patrons Nobunaga and Hideyoshi, and magnificence of Azuchi-Momoyama culture.
