16/06/2017

Sesshu Toyo

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Sesshuu Tooyoo 雪舟等楊 Sesshu Toyo
(1420 - 1506)



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Oda Tōyō since 1431, also known as Tōyō, Unkoku, or Bikeisai; 1420 – 26 August 1506) was the most prominent Japanese master of ink and wash painting from the middle Muromachi period. He was born into the samurai Oda family (小田家), then brought up and educated to become a Rinzai Zen Buddhist priest. However, early in life he displayed a talent for visual arts, and eventually became one of the greatest Japanese artists of his time, widely revered throughout Japan and China.

Sesshū studied under Tenshō Shūbun and was influenced by Chinese Song dynasty landscape painting. In 1468–69, he undertook a voyage to Ming China, where too he was quickly recognized as an outstanding painter. Upon returning to Japan, Sesshū built himself a studio and established a large following, painters that are now referred to as the Unkoku-rin school—or "School of Sesshū". Although many paintings survive that bear Sesshū's signature or seal, only a few can be securely attributed to him.
His most well-known work is the so-called "Long Landscape Scroll" (山水長巻, Sansui chōkan).

Sesshū was born in Akahama, a settlement in Bitchū Province, which is now part of western Okayama Prefecture.
© More in the WIKIPEDIA !


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SESSHU IN CHINA: UNIQUE EXPERIENCES FOR A MONK-PAINTER
By WATADA, Minoru

Sesshu Toyo (1420- ca. 1502 or 06) traveled to Ming dynasty China in 1467 and after two years on the continent, returned to Japan. As has been discussed frequently in recent years, Sesshu was a member of the Japanese mission party sent as tribute to Ming and therefore his actions were extremely limited. His journey in China was not a trip in which an artist set out to freely explore his own way of painting. Further, while today Sesshu stands as one of Japan's most famous artists, when he went to China he was nothing more than a provincial Zen monk-painter. Indeed, he was so unimportant in the mission that not even his name appears in any public records of the day, in China or Japan. Just because Sesshu went to China, it does not immediately mean that he was then able to paint works that faithfully followed Chinese styles, such as his Landscapes of the Four Seasons (Tokyo National Museum), or was allowed to paint the walls of such public spaces as the building of the Libu (Chinese ministry of ritual, religious and educational affairs), or was directly trained by imperial artists. We must think that each of these accomplishments by Sesshu came about because of unique circumstances.

Up until now the story of Sesshu in China has been largely described as the successful tale of some great artist. However, such an explanation is heavily colored by fictions formulated during the Edo period, and often relies on a complete misunderstanding of several historical documents. In other words, there has arisen a complete mix-up of Edo period analogies about Sesshu and what modern art historians expect to Sesshu. Therefore, first of all, this paper will ask just how much or how little can we actually recognize as historical facts about Sesshu in China, and then, will attempt to re-determine how we should evaluate it.

If we examine historical records with careful consideration of the time frames and distances covered by Sesshu in China, we arrive at some conclusions differing from those of preceding scholars. Sesshu's trip to China was not an event deemed a matter of course for a famous artist. Rather we should consider his journey a time when several unprecedented occurrences happened to a mere monk-painter. It is clear from the extant works and historical materials that an extremely unusual set of circumstances occurred. The following is my conclusion regarding this matter. Considering Sesshu in China, the most important fact is that he was able to study under imperial painters in Beijing. The fact that he painted at the Libu building must also not be lightly dismissed, because it is even possible that the painting created on that occasion corresponds to the Landscapes of the Four Seasons (Tokyo National Museum). While Sesshu's interactions with the Chinese literati and sketching from local scenery may have been accepted practice for artists visiting China, he alone seems to have been able to study under imperial painters and have an opportunity to publicly exhibit the results of that study. Indeed, these unique experiences played a decisive role in Sesshu's achievements, as we know them.
- source : tobunken.go.jp/~bijutsu/eng... -


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泣きねずみ

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..... As a youth he became a Zen monk at a local temple - Hofuku-ji .....
According to the legend
he was not a particularly good novice monk, preferring to spend his time drawing rather than memorizing sutras, and one day as a punishment for some infraction he was tied to a post in one of the temple buildings and left there.
His tears fell to the floor and with his toe he drew a rat on the floor with his tears. When the abbot returned he was taken aback by what he thought was a real rat at the boy's feet but which turned out to be a drawing.
From then on
Sesshu was allowed to continue with his art studies. In the way of legends, the story has been exaggerated and one version now has the drawing being so lifelike that the drawing came to life and chewed through the ropes to free Sesshu. .....
- source : japanvisitor.com..... -



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百三代後花園の院の御時、
備中の国赤浜に小田のほとりといふ侍有。子供三人持ち、末の子を丸と申けり。此子二三才の頃より手遊びにも鼠を好みける
父母、鼠を拵へ、愛す。
(母)
「此子は鼠がきつい好きさ」
父ほとり思ふは、丸は末の子也出家にせばや、とて、九才の年井の山宝副寺の弟子となし、等楊法師と申。
しかるに、此等楊手習学問は学ばずして、天性絵を描く事を好み、手習草紙に人形の首を描き、又は唐紙戸障子にいろいろの絵を描く。
師の御坊怒つて折檻し給ふ。
(師)
「余の子共は手習するに、汝一人さもなくして絵ばかり描く事、憎いとち坊主。その上此頃は襖壁などに絵かく事やめおらぬかぬか」
等楊十才の頃、とにかくに描く事をやめぬ故、師の御坊堂の柱に縛りつけ戒む。然れ共哀れみて、日暮に及び縄を解かんとて行給ふに、等楊が膝の下より数十疋の鼠、驚き騒ぎ走り回る。
急に此鼠を追ふ。御坊怪しみて見給ふに、等楊縛られて一日の落つる涙の滴りを足の親指につけて縁板に鼠を描く。その勢ひ恰も生ける鼠のごとし。師の御坊その妙を感じて、これより描く事を戒めづ。
- reference source : detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp -


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. Famous Buddhist Priests - ABC-List .


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. Legends and Tales from Japan 伝説 - Introduction .

................................................................................. Yamaguchi 山口市

Sesshu painted 雪舟の絵馬の馬 a horse on a votive tablet at the temple 龍蔵寺 Ryuzo-Ji. The horse became alive at night and went out to feed and devastate the fields.
So he painted a bridle to keep the horse in his place.



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- reference : nichibun yokai database -

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墨絵めく霧の山河や雪舟忌
sumi-e meku kiri no sanga ya Sesshuu ki

the landscape painting
flowing in black ink fog . . .
Sesshu memorial day


檜紀代 Hinoki Kiyo


Sesshu 応永27年(1420年) - 永正3年8月8日(1506年)
His death day is given as the 8th day of the 8th lunar month in 1506.
Other dates are also mentioned.




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- kigo for all winter -

. sori 雪橇(そり)/ 雪舟(そり)sled, sledge .
Here the characters 雪舟 mean "snow boat".


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- Reference - 雪舟 -
- Reference - sesshu toyo -


. Introducing Japanese Haiku Poets .

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