Born into the Kanō family of Kyoto painters, son of Kanō Shōei. He was taught directly by his grandfather Kanō Motonobu.
With his father he painted the sliding doors of Jukō-in at Daitoku-ji. His powerful bird-and-flower works there survive as National Treasures.
He painted the Rakuchū Rakugai-zu screens said to have been Oda Nobunaga's gift to Uesugi Kenshin, depicting Kyoto's streets and daily life in fine detail.
Leading his pupils, he painted the murals of the keep and halls of Nobunaga's Azuchi castle, establishing a lavish style of huge trees and beasts on gold.
After the Honnō-ji Incident Azuchi castle burned down, and the murals Eitoku had painted were lost.
Highly favoured by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, he painted the murals of Osaka castle and was later entrusted with work at the Jurakudai and elsewhere.
Around this time he is believed to have painted the Karajishi-zu screen of great lions striding majestically, a bold masterpiece of Momoyama culture.
He collapsed with illness and died while at work on projects such as ceiling paintings for Tōfuku-ji; overwork is said to have been a cause.
Uesugi KenshinOda NobunagaToyotomi Hideyoshi
Hasegawa TōhakuToyotomi HidenagaKuki YoshitakaTokugawa IeyasuFuruta OribeTakenaka Shigeharu (Hanbei)Azai NagamasaKuroda Yoshitaka (Kanbei)
People of the Sengoku/Azuchi-Momoyama period ・ People by period
Based on facts found in textbooks and biographies. Uncertain points are marked as such.