Who was this person?
A painter of the late Edo period and master of literati painting (nanga) in the Kantō. He studied widely, from the Kanō school and yamato-e to Chinese and Western painting, served Matsudaira Sadanobu working on the Kōyo tanshō zu and the Shūko jusshu, published the Nihon meizan zue, and trained Watanabe Kazan and others at his school, the Shazanrō.
| Name | Tani Bunchō (谷文晁) |
|---|---|
| Born–died | 1763 – 1841 |
| Period | Edo period |
| Birthplace | Edo |
| Also known as | Bun'ami |
| Main achievements |
|
He was born at Negishi in Shitaya, Edo. His grandfather, recognised for his ability as an official, had been taken into service by the Tayasu house, and his father Tani Rokkoku was also a Tayasu retainer known as a poet in Chinese. Raised in this family that valued learning and letters, Bunchō excelled not only in painting but also in waka and Chinese poetry.
As a boy he studied painting with Katō Bunrei, a Kanō school painter and friend of his father. He then studied in turn under Watanabe Gentai, Kitayama Kangan and others. Not staying within one school, he eagerly learned every style, from the Kanō school and yamato-e to Chinese painting and even Western painting.
He entered the service of the Tayasu house. Around this time he travelled to Nagasaki, visiting the scholar and collector Kimura Kenkadō in Osaka on the way. In Nagasaki he learned painting techniques from a Chinese painter. A lover of travel, Bunchō is said to have visited almost every province of Japan while still young.
His talent was recognised by Matsudaira Sadanobu, a son of the Tayasu house who as senior councillor led the Kansei Reforms, and he came to serve close to him. Bunchō served Sadanobu for about twenty years until his retirement, supporting his cultural projects through painting.
He accompanied Sadanobu on a tour inspecting the coasts of Edo Bay, sketching the scenery and painting the Kōyo tanshō zu. Incorporating Western perspective, this work was later designated an Important Cultural Property. It is a masterpiece that shows Bunchō's skill at drawing from life.
On Sadanobu's orders he examined and copied old paintings, writings and treasures kept at temples, shrines and elsewhere, and took part in compiling the illustrated catalogue Shūko jusshu. This work to record old cultural properties for posterity is said to have been a forerunner of cultural heritage research in Japan.
When Kimura Kenkadō, with whom he had become close in Osaka, died, Bunchō mourned him by painting his portrait and giving it to the family. This Portrait of Kimura Kenkadō is famous for conveying his gentle, calm character and is now an Important Cultural Property.
Around this time many pupils gathered at the Shazanrō, the painting school he opened at his home in Edo. The name is said to come from the fine view of Mount Fuji from its upper floor. Bunchō stressed sketching from life and copying old paintings, and respected each pupil's individuality. Watanabe Kazan also studied there.
He published the Nihon meizan zue, collecting pictures of mountains he had sketched while travelling the country. Depicting Japan's representative mountains in 90 pictures, the book was widely loved and is said to have influenced how later people viewed mountains. Of all mountains, Bunchō especially loved to paint Mount Fuji.
Around this time he was close friends with the Confucian scholar Kameda Hōsai and the painter Sakai Hōitsu, and the three were called "the Shitaya triptych." Bunchō was easygoing by nature and readily painted when asked, and it is said that a great many forgeries of his work circulated even in his own day.
Matsudaira Sadanobu, whom he had served for so long, died. Bunchō was given the status of an official painter of the shogunate and shaved his head. He kept painting into old age, covering landscapes, birds and flowers, figures and Buddhist images, and his unique style blending many schools was described as "mastering all eight sects."
He was granted the rank of hōgen, one of the highest honours for a painter, and took the name Bun'ami. His wife Kankan and his sisters were also known as painters, and the Tani family flourished as a school. But the sons he had hoped would succeed him died young, and Bunchō is said to have known deep sorrow.
He died in Edo. As the great master of literati painting in the Kantō, he made a major contribution by training many painters, beginning with Watanabe Kazan. In his death poem he called himself "an old raccoon dog who has kept up his disguise to the end," never losing his sense of humour. His grave is at Genkū-ji in Asakusa.
A. A painter of the late Edo period and master of literati painting (nanga) in the Kantō. He studied widely, from the Kanō school and yamato-e to Chinese and Western painting, served Matsudaira Sadanobu working on the Kōyo tanshō zu and the Shūko jusshu, published the Nihon meizan zue, and trained Watanabe Kazan and others at his school, the Shazanrō.
A. Period: Edo period. Born in 1763, died in 1841.
A. Tani Bunchō was born in Edo.
A. Bunchō was easygoing and is said to have painted readily when asked and even let pupils use his seal. As a result, a great many works bearing his name circulated even in his own day, and it was said that "ninety-nine out of a hundred are fakes."
See also: Wikipedia (ja) / Wikipedia (en) / Wikipedia (fr) / Wikipedia (zh) / Wikidata
Follow this life (autoplay)Matsudaira SadanobuSakai HōitsuWatanabe Kazan
Hanaoka SeishūSantō KyōdenSakai HōitsuKobayashi IssaTakahashi YoshitokiJippensha IkkuKyokutei BakinTakadaya Kahei
People of the Edo period ・ People by period
Based on facts found in textbooks and biographies. Uncertain points are marked as such.