Page 89 - JAPAN THE SHAPING OFDAIMYO CULTURE 1185-1868

23 Maeda Toshiharu
hanging scroll; ink and color on silk
78-8x39.4(31x151/2)
Momoyama period, late loth century
Chóreiji, Ishikawa Prefecture
Important Cultural Property

Maeda Toshiharu, the head of a group of
wealthy farmers in Owari Province
(present-day Aichi Prefecture), was the fa-
ther of Toshiie (1538-1599), the first-
generation head of the Maeda clan, which
ruled Kaga Province (present-day Ishikawa
Prefecture). This portrait was reportedly
offered by Toshiie to Chóreiji (in Nanao
City, Ishikawa Prefecture) at the time of
its founding in commemoration of his fa-
ther. A later portrait of Toshiie's mother
(cat. 24) is also at Chóreiji.
The painting presents Toshiharu at
the moment of a religious experience. His
head shaven, he is portrayed as a Buddhist
priest seated on a tatami mat and wearing
a Zen priest's stole over a priest's robe,
which partially covers a sword lying on the
tatami. His right arm resting on his knee,
Toshiharu holds a fan in his right hand and
rests his left hand on the tatami as he looks
up at the stylized purple clouds on which
Amida Buddha will descend to receive his
soul at the moment of death. In front of
him is a tenmoku teacup on a lacquer
stand. On the floor in front are a page,
who sits ceremoniously, and a servant
holding a ewer. The style of the painting is
provincial, and the composition is unique
for a commemorative portrait.
AY

24 The wife of Maeda Toshiharu
hanging scroll; ink and color on silk
69.2 x 40.7 (27^4 x 16)
Momoyama period, late loth century
Chóreiji, Ishikawa Prefecture
Important Art Object
Very little is known about the life of
Maeda Toshiharu's wife, whose portrait,
though painted somewhat later, forms a 27
pair with that of her husband. Wearing a
white nun's robe, she holds prayer beads
in her hands. She was from the Takeno
family and had one son, Toshiie. She died 1594 Daito returned to the temple in Na- the Nishikawa family of Otsu, near Kyoto,
by Toyotomi Hide-
and was later adopted
in 1573. Her posthumous Buddhist title is nao and renamed it Chóreiji after the post-
Chóreiin Myókyú Daishi. humous Buddhist name of Toshiie's yoshi (1537-1598). She died in 1584 at the
Chóreiji in Nanao City, Ishikawa Pre- mother. AY age of seven and was buried in Saikyóji.
fecture, where these portraits come from, In this portrait she sits on a tatami
is a temple that belongs to the Sotó school 25 Maeda Kikuhime mat wearing a kosode, holding chrysanthe-
of Zen. In 1581, with the area under his hanging scroll; ink and color on silk mums in her right hand, a reference to her
control, Maeda Toshiie built the temple, 70.6x34.5(273/4x135/8) name, Kiku, which means chrysanthe-
named Hóenji at the time of its founding, Momoyama period, 1584 mum. Toys are by her side, including a
and invited the monk Daitó Keijo from a Saikyóji, Shiga Prefecture papier-mâche dog, a top, and dolls, as well
temple with the same name at Takase, Important Art Object as an incense container. This commemora-
Echizen Province (part of present-day Fu- tive portrait was painted soon after her
kui Prefecture), to be its abbot. In 1583, Maeda Kikuhime (1578-1584) was the sixth death.
At the top of the painting in two
when Toshiie moved to Kanazawa, Daitó daughter of Maeda Toshiie, the first ruler squares intended to resemble shikishi
went also to head a new Hóenji there. In of Kaga province. Her mother was
Toshiie's consort, Ryúkóin (daughter of (square poetry sheets), is an inscription
Kasama Yoshichi). Kikuhime lived with dated to 1584, the year of her death. It was

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