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1691, Tosa Mitsuoki, Portrait of Kakinomoto no Hitomaro -- Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York)

From the museum label: A trio of painters in the Tosa family-father, son, and grandson-collaborated on this triptych of imaginary portraits of three of ancient Japan's greatest poets. For the central scroll, Mitsuoki-the esteemed head of the Tosa school of traditional Japanese-style painting-rendered the patriarch of Japanese poetry, Kakinomoto no Hitomaro (ca. 660-724). Mitsunari, Mitsuoki's son, painted Lady Ise (ca. 875-ca. 938), dressed in gorgeous court robes in the scroll at right. The court lady and poet Ono no Komachi (ca. 825-ca. 900), depicted with a water basin, is the work of Mitsutaka, the Tosa master's grandson. This set of portraits celebrates the high regard for poetry in Japanese cultural history.

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Uploaded on May 4, 2025
Taken on May 4, 2025