Tanomura Chikuden · 1777–1835
Tanomura Chikuden
Tanomura Chikuden (1777-1835) was a late Edo-period Nanga (literati) painter. Born into a family of physician-Confucian scholars in the Oka domain of Bungo, he served the domain and painted landscapes, figures, and birds and flowers while associating with Rai San'yo and others.
Tanomura Chikuden was born in 1777 (An'ei 6) in Takeda village, Naoiri District, Bungo Province (now Taketa, Oita Prefecture), the second son of Tanomura Sekian, a physician and Confucian scholar of the Oka domain. His personal name was Takanori, his courtesy name Kun'i, and his common name Kozo; Chikuden is his artist's name. He studied at the domain school and later served there as a Confucian instructor.
He learned painting from local painters and also received instruction from Tani Buncho in Edo. He studied in Kyoto and Osaka, where he associated with Rai San'yo, Uragami Gyokudo, Aoki Mokubei, and others. In 1812 (Bunka 9) he submitted his resignation and retired at the age of 37, afterwards traveling back and forth between Bungo and the Kyoto-Osaka area.
He broadened his subjects to include landscapes, figures, and birds and flowers, and is said to have reached a delicate and rich style in his later years. He also left writings such as Sanchujin Jozetsu. He died in 1835 (Tenpo 6) at the domain residence in Osaka. One of his works is Old Temple in Mountain Peaks (Shoran Koji-zu).
