Tachihara Kyosho · 1786–1840
Tachihara Kyosho
Tachihara Kyosho (1786-1840) was a late Edo-period Nanga painter and a samurai of the Mito domain. He served three successive lords of Mito, studied under Tani Buncho and others, and left works such as Grapes.
Tachihara Kyosho was born in 1786 (Tenmei 5) in Mito, the eldest son of the Mito domain samurai Tachihara Suiken. His personal name was Tadashi (Jin) and his courtesy name Shien; Kyosho is his artist's name, said to come from an apricot tree in the garden of his birthplace. He served three successive lords of the Mito domain: Haruki (7th), Nariyoshi (8th), and Nariaki (9th).
He studied painting as a boy under Hayashi Jikko, and later under Koizumi Aya and the monk Gessen of Jakusho-ji temple in Ise. After he began serving at the domain residence in Koishikawa, Edo, in 1812 (Bunka 9), he studied under Tani Buncho and viewed and copied Chinese paintings of the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties.
He also associated with Watanabe Kazan, Tsubaki Chinzan, and Takaku Aigai. He died at the Koishikawa domain residence in 1840 (Tenpo 11). His books include Suikoden Inpu and Kinsei Shoga Nenpyo. One of his works is Grapes.
