Kaiho Yusho · 1533–1615
Kaiho Yusho
Kaiho Yusho (1533-1615) was a painter of the Azuchi-Momoyama and early Edo periods and the founder of the Kaiho school. Born into a samurai family in Omi, he later left the warrior life and left ink paintings in a style of forceful lines and economical brushwork.
Kaiho Yusho was born in 1533 (Tenbun 2) in the northern Lake Biwa area of Omi (now Shiga Prefecture), said to be the fifth son of Kaiho Tsunachika, a retainer of the Azai clan. He lost his father at an early age, entered a Zen temple, and trained at Tofuku-ji in Kyoto. He is said to have studied the Kano school there, though who his teacher was is unclear.
After the Azai clan fell, he returned to lay life and sought to restore the Kaiho family, but Toyotomi Hideyoshi recognized his talent for painting, so he left the warrior's world and devoted his later years to painting. Influenced by Song and Yuan paintings, especially those of Liang Kai, he is said to have opened his own artistic realm with sharp, forceful lines and a sparing style of brushwork.
Many of his works are large ink paintings, though he also made folding screens in gold and rich colors. He died in 1615 (Keicho 20). One of his works is Eight Immortals at Wine (Chuin hassen-zu byobu).
