HONCHOU GASHI　本朝画史

KEY WORD :　art history / paintings

History of Painting in Japan, a late 17c compendium of artists' biographies and the history of painting in Japan. Begun by Kanou Sansetsu 狩野山雪 (1589/90-1651), head of the second generation of the Kyoto branch of the Kanou school *Kyouganou 京狩野, his son Einou 永納 (1631-97) supplemented the work with the help of Kurokawa Douyuu 黒川道祐 (d.1691). Although bearing a preface by Hayashi Gahou 林鵞峯 (dated 1678), it was originally published in 1691 as HONCHOU GADEN 本朝画伝. It is the first complete history of Japanese painting. The first volume presents an overview of the early painting tradition. The second to fifth volumes contain biographies of more than 400 painters: Volume 2 includes 147 biographies of Nara and Heian periods artists; Volume 3 has biographies of 100 Kamakura and Muromachi artists; Volume 4 includes biographies of the *Kanouha 狩野派 and *Hasegawaha 長谷川派 artists as well as a section on themes and techniques associated with them; and Volume 5 includes biographies of miscellaneous artists as well as a final section on tools and pigments. In 1691, Einou added a final volume, HONCHOU GAIN 本朝画印 (Painter Seals of Japan), which reproduces signatures and seals, and then retitled the whole work HONCHOU GASHI when reissuing it in 1693. As a work by Kanou artists, HONCHOU GASHI understandably emphasizes the role of Kanou painters. Moreover, even within the Kanou school some branches are given great attention and particular artists are praised, while others are largely ignored or criticized based on competitive biases within the school. Although an extremely valuable source of information, HONCHOU GASHI remains a highly subjective reflection of the particular values of Sansetsu and Einou. A supplement, ZOKU-HONCHOU GASHI 続本朝画史 (Continued History of Painting in Japan), by the Edo connoisseur Hiyama Tansai 桧山坦斉 (1774-1842) was published in 1819. It has biographies of 483 painters beginning with 7c Buddhist artists and ending with Einou. HONCHOU GASHI is reprinted in Sakazaki Tan 坂崎坦, ed., NIHON GARON TAIKAN 日本画論大観 2: pp.953-1054, 1385-1443.

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