Page 260 - Japanese marks and seals on pottery, paper and other objects.

222 ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPTS AND PRINTED BOOKS.

the founder the family name was changed to Sumiyoshi
;
by his descendant Hiromichi, in the period of Kwambun, i66i
to 1673 A.D., but the name of the school remained unaltered,
and the descendants of Tsunetaka hold a distinguished place
amongst the artists of the present day.
The second great school is that of Kano, which was
founded by Kano Masanobu, who lived between the periods
of Chokio and Tembun, 1487 to 1555 a.d., and his
descendants also still worthily uphold the fame of their
ancestor. The most celebrated representatives of this family,
belonging to the Tsukiji, Kajibashi and Nakabashi branches,
have resided in Tokio during the last two centuries under
the patronage of the Tokugawa Shogunate, the members of
which have not only supported them by liberal grants of
money but availed themselves of their instruction.
The paintings of the Tosa school are remarkable as
specimens of minute and delicate manipulation, and resemble
in many respects the fine miniature painting found in the
illuminated missals of the middle ages they are executed
;
in full-toned colours, often with a lavish use of gold, and
represent scenes of court life, with the figures of nobles and
ladies clad in robes of ceremony, or depict the warriors
of ancient days engaged in the warfare with which the
history of Japan is associated. The artists of the Kano
family, on the other hand, have always loved to depict the
natural beauties of their country or to illustrate the
mythological legends of China, and their drawings of
scenery, and studies of men, animals, birds and foliage,
are executed with freedom and truthfulness, and are singularly
beautiful.
Another school, of a kindred character to that of Tosa,
was founded by Iwasa Matabei in the period of Tensho,
1573 to 1592 A.D., and out of this grew, a century later, that
of Utagawa the works of these schools are known as the
;
Ukiyo, or popular, style. The most celebrated master of
this school was Hokusai, who lived between the periods
of Bunsei and Tempo, 1818 to 1844 a.d. He illustrated