Japanese Art – Looking at the Most Famous Japanese Artists and Artworks

Japanese art has a long and colorful history stretching back to some time from the 10th millennium BC all the way to the present day. Throughout the history of this region, various empires have invaded the country and left behind their influences on traditional Japanese art. Over time, the Japanese artists chose elements of the invading cultures that fit into their preferred aesthetics, absorbing and assimilating concepts, techniques, and motifs from them, thus creating unique Japanese art styles from these foreign influences.

Famous Japanese Artists and Their Artworks

Buddhism was a large component in the creation of complex art in the 7th and 8th centuries in Japan. Religious subject matter was common in ancient Japanese art, but Japanese artwork eventually extended to other subjects that reflected the daily life and environment of the local people.

Today, we will look at ten famous Japanese artists and the Japanese paintings that brought them into the public spotlight.

Tenshō Shūbun (1414 – 1463)

Tenshō Shūbun was born in the Ōmi Province of Japan in the late 14th century. He later moved to Kyoto, becoming director of the court painting bureau, an institution consisting of influential Japanese art patrons. Shūbun is considered by historians to be the father of Suiboku ink wash painting, a style that originated in China, but one which Shūbun helped incorporate into traditional Japanese art.

No. 6. Riding the Bull Home (c. 15th century) by Tenshō Shūbun. This is one of a series of ten images, generally known in English as the Ox-herding (or Bull-herding) pictures, by the 15th century Japanese Rinzai Zen monk Shūbun. They are said to be copies of originals, now lost, traditionally attributed to Kakuan, a 12th century Chinese Zen Master; Tenshō Shūbun, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

After studying Chinese masters such as Ma Yuan and Xia Gui, Shūbun took elements of their work and created a style of ink wash painting, promoting it until it became the local style of that era. Shūbun then went on to become a tutor of Japanese painting for future masters like Kanō Masanobu and Sesshū Tōyō. Reading in a Bamboo Grove, painted in 1446, is considered Shūbun’s most well-known painting, having received the honor as a Japanese national treasure.

Reading in a Bamboo Grove (1446)

Reflective of earlier works by the Southern Song Chinese painters, this early example of ancient Japanese art depicts a landscape and poetry painted onto the surface of a scroll. It was owned by a Zen monk from a temple in Kyoto but was said to be created by Shūbun, another monk from a temple in Shôkoku-Ji.

Painting detail of Reading in a Bamboo Grove (1446) by Tenshō Shūbun. Full scroll: 134.8 x 33.3 cm; Tenshō Shūbun, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Many Zen monks added a preface and extra poems to the scroll, making it hard to identify exactly who created this ancient Japanese artwork. However, it has been considered to be one of the only existing examples of Japanese drawings from that era that fit Shūbun’s signature style.

As such, this painting has been passed down the generations in the Myôchi-in Temple in Kyoto as a Shūbun original.

Sesshū Tōyō (1420 – 1506)

Sesshū Tōyō was one of the few traditional Japanese artists from the Muromachi period, which was highly respected not only in Japan but also in China. This was due to the influence of the Chinese Song Dynasty artists on his work, which he then infused with its own Japanese character. He was considered the biggest exponent of Japanese ink wash painting, which was founded by Tenshō Shūbun, his master who taught him Japanese art styles such as Sumi-e (ink wash painting).

Portrait of Sesshū Tōyō, c. 16th century; 不詳 unknown, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Tōyō took the traditional style of his master Shūbun and gave it a distinct Japanese character through the use of flatter dimensional space, thicker lines, and greater contrast between shadow and light. Tōyō was considered by his peers as well as historians to be the greatest painter in Japan, and his influence can still be seen in Japanese paintings up to today.

Landscape of the Four Seasons (1486)

Considered the greatest example of ink painting to come from Japan, Landscape of the Four Seasons is regarded by historians as Sesshū Tōyō’s masterpiece. The 15-meter scroll depicts the various seasons of the year, starting with spring and ending in winter.

The Chinese influence can be seen in both the style and theme of the composition, yet Tōyō brought a Japanese character to this artwork, setting it apart from the art of the Chinese Dynasty.

LEFT: Landscape of the Four Seasons, Winter (15th century) by Sesshū Tōyō; Sesshū Tōyō, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons | RIGHT: Landscape of the Four Seasons, Summer (15th century) by Sesshū Tōyō; Sesshū Tōyō, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Tōyō also painted other Japanese art styles and subject matter, such as Japanese drawings of Buddha and other Zen-influenced pictures. However, it is the Landscape of the Four Seasons that most defines the style that led to Tōyō being considered a master in traditional Japanese art.

LEFT: Landscape of the Four Seasons, Autumn (15th century) by Sesshū Tōyō; Sesshū Tōyō, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons | RIGHT: Landscape of the Four Seasons, Spring (15th century) by Sesshū Tōyō; Sesshū Tōyō, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Hasegawa Tōhaku (1539 – 1610)

Hasegawa Tōhaku was born in 1539 in the town of Nanao, Japan. He started his career as an artist by painting pictures of Buddha in his hometown and became successful enough to be a professional painter by his twenties. By his mid-30s, he had moved to Kyoto to study further at the highly respected Kanō school. Many of Tōhaku’s early works are in the style taught by this school.

After that, he began to develop his unique style of Sumi-e painting, which was closer in style to his minimalist predecessors.

He was considered the fifth successor of the master Sesshū Tōyō and a master of the Azuchi-Momoyama, period along with his rival, Kanō Eitoku. Tōhaku is respected throughout Japan for his incredible Japanese art, and many of his works are listed as national treasures in Japan.

Pine tree and flowering plants (1593) by Hasegawa Tōhaku; Hasegawa Tōhaku, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Pine Trees (1595)

With this series of six screens of exquisite Japanese drawings, Tōhaku managed to capture light and movement with only ink as his chosen medium, allowing him to give his pieces a feeling of space by applying three different layers of shading. With his unique manipulation of brushstrokes, he was able to create the impression of the painting receding as you walked towards it.

In this painting, we can see how the rough application of his brushstrokes on the paper creates a sense of subtly emerging pine trees from the distant background.

Pine Trees (1486) by Hasegawa Tōhaku; Tokyo National Museum, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The viewer can feel the wind moving through the grove by the artist’s use of specifically placed pine trees in the composition. Tōhaku wanted to create the impression of being drawn into the painting, and he achieved this by adding layers of shading to create the effect of parts of the pine trees extending beyond the limits of the painting itself.

Kanō Eitoku (1543 – 1590)

Kanō Eitoku was born in 1543 in Kyoto, Japan, grandson of master Kanō Motonobu. Motonobu taught his grandson in a style that was greatly influenced by the Chinese movements. Along with other members of his family, such as his father, Eitoku was renowned for his work in temples, where he installed beautifully painted ceiling and sliding door paintings as well as decorated standing screens.

Birds and flowers of the four seasons (16th century) by Kanō Eitoku, part of the paintings on room partitions in the abbot’s quarters of Jukō-in of Daitoku-ji, Kyoto, Japan, ink on paper. This picture shows four of 16 panels on fusuma (sliding doors) in the ritual room; Kanō Eitoku (狩野永徳) and his father Kanō Shōei (狩野松栄), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

His biggest contribution to the Kanō school’s selection of styles was his monumental style, otherwise known as Taiga, which is typically characterized by the use of bold brushwork, figures that are disproportionately large for their backgrounds, and an emphasis placed on the foreground aspects. Eitoku was vastly popular in his time and had many patrons who commissioned his work.

The most well-known of these pieces is the eight-panel screen depicting a Cypress tree.

Painting of a Cypress Tree (1590)

This folding screen painting consists of eight panels, depicting a landscape with a Cypress tree in the foreground. Made from several panels joined together, these screens were used to divide sections of indoor spaces to provide some privacy in otherwise large areas.

However, Eitoku did not originally draw this on a folding screen but painted it on a sliding door at first. The folding screen was then used in an aristocratic residence that was built in 1590.

Eitoku painted the trees with the strength of the brush, giving the effect of overwhelming force, and the background was covered in gold leaf. The overall contrast of the piece was achieved by these strong lines as well as by limiting how many colors were used in the composition.

Cypress Trees (16th century) by Kanō Eitoku; Kanō Eitoku, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Tawaraya Sōtatsu (1570 – 1643)

Although the exact date of Tawaraya Sōtatsu’s birthday is unknown, it is estimated to be around 1570. He is most known for his collaborations with Hon’ami Kōetsu, creating decorative and calligraphic works, as well as his amazing folding screens, many of which have become national treasures of Japan, including Wind God and Thunder God and Sekiya and Miotsukushi.

Wind God Fujin (right) and Thunder God Raijin (left) by Tawaraya Sōtatsu, 17th century; 俵屋宗達 (Tawaraya Sotatsu) (1570-1643), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Sōtatsu was known as a Japanese furniture designer as well a Japanese artist of the Rinpa school, which was not a school in traditional terms, but rather a collective of artists creating Japanese drawings and other artworks influenced by Kōetsu and Sōtatsu. He is also known for pioneering Tarashikomi, a technique in which one adds drop after drop of color while the previous layer is still wet.

Sekiya and Miotsukushi (1631)

This beautiful work by Sōtatsu is considered a masterpiece by Japanese art historians. Depicting the artist’s personal interpretation of the traditional Genji painting style, Sōtatsu adapts the Genji style of miniature Japanese drawings to a larger scale format while helping to transform the visual storytelling element of Genji illustration through the use of simplified and clean geometry.

TOP: Chapter I of the Tale of Genji, Sekiya, and Miotsukushi (17th century) by Tawaraya Sōtatsu; Tawaraya Sōtatsu, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons | BOTTOM: Chapter II of the Tale of Genji, Sekiya, and Miotsukushi (17th century) by Tawaraya Sōtatsu; Tawaraya Sōtatsu, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

This piece consists of two screens, each one representing a random meeting between Genji and his former lover. Each screen depicts gates that represent travel, which is likely the main reason that they were paired together. This painting is one of only two works by Sōtatsu that has been dated with any clear accuracy and is thus considered vital in understanding this artist’s history, which we still know little about.

Ogata Kōrin (1658 – 1716)

Ogata Kōrin was born in 1658 into a wealthy family that dealt with the sale and design of textiles to the richer women of the city. His father introduced him to the various arts and he often worked together with his brother, Kenzan. Not only did he paint in various Japanese art styles, but he also was a designer and lacquerer. However, Kōrin is most well known for his decorated folding screens.

Important Art Object Flowering Plants in Autumn (18th century), attributed to Ogata Kōrin; Attributed to Ogata Kōrin, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Kōrin has also been noted as reviving the Rinpa school, which had been founded 50 years previously by masters Sōtatsu and Hon’ami Kōetsu. Kōrin disregarded the usual conventions and ideals of naturalism by creating his unique style, which was embodied by the use of simplified forms and an impressionist aesthetic.

He focused on using patterns of color in an abstract manner, and his work conveyed a sense of flat, one-dimensional decorative design.

Red and White Plum Blossoms (1710)

Red and White Plum Blossoms is one of the most famous paintings in Japan, currently residing at the MOA Museum of Art in Atami, and is registered in Japan as a national treasure. This simple yet beautifully stylized two-panel folding screen depicts a flowing river patterned with swirling flat waves, with plum trees on either side. The presence of plum blossoms suggests to the viewer that the scene represents the spring period.

Red and White Plum Blossoms (1710) by Ogata Kōrin; Ogata Kōrin, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

This work is considered a great example of the Rinpa school of painting, where Kōrin applied a technique called Tarashikomi to create the mottled look of the trees. This texture is created by playing a series of droplets on each other without the usual period of drying usually practiced when painting. It is thought that, based on the dating of the paintings and other evidence, this was most likely Ogata Kōrin’s final painted piece before dying a few years after its creation.

Kitagawa Utamaro (1753 – 1806)

Kitagawa Utamaro was born in Edo in 1753. He is regarded as one of the most famous Japanese artists regarding the Ukiyo-e style of woodblock paintings and prints. He is also well known for his Japanese drawings of beautifully large-headed women. Besides that, Utamaro was also known to produce natural studies, in particular, a series of illustrated books about insects.

Portrait of Utamaro, drawn in 1931; 井上和雄編 渡辺版画店 1931, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Utamaro’s artwork eventually reached the shores of Europe, where it was very well received. His emphasis on shadow and light and his application of partial views is said to have greatly influenced the European Impressionists.

When European artists refer to the “Japanese influence”, they are usually referring to Utamaro’s work in particular.

Three Beauties of the Present Day (1793)

This composition depicts three women in a triangular formation. The women were all celebrities at the time and were regular subjects of the artist’s work. Each female figure is adorned with clothing bearing their family crests. Despite the highly stylized faces, one can still make out individual characteristics portrayed on each face, which differed from the usual generic-looking faces depicted in the works of the artists that preceded Utamaro.

Three Beauties of the Present Day (c. 1793) by Kitagawa Utamaro; Kitagawa Utamaro, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

This form of art was very popular in the 17th to 19th centuries, with subject matter focused on everyday people such as kabuki actors and courtesans as well as those associated with the pleasure districts of Japanese culture. Most often, these kinds of prints were created to advertise the local areas of entertainment.

Today, this masterpiece is considered the best representative of Utamaro’s earlier works.

Katsushika Hokusai (1760 – 1849)

Katsushika Hokusai was born on the 31st of October, 1760. He was known for transforming a style that was largely focused on actors, courtesans, and beautiful women by broadening the subject matter, introducing works that included plants, animals, and landscapes. Out of the majority of Japanese artists, Hokusai is most likely the most internationally renowned, largely due to The Great Wave off Kanagawa, which is considered the face of Japanese art globally.

A self-portrait of Katsushika Hokusai at the age of 83; Public Domain, Link

Hokusai was said to have used over 30 various aliases through which he created Japanese paintings and other styles, such as woodblock printing. His most important contributions to Japanese artwork, however, were only painted in his later years after he had turned 60. This includes his depiction of the holy mountain throughout the seasons known as the Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji.

The Great Wave off Kanagawa (1829)

The Great Wave off Kanagawa is known as the most recognizable Japanese painting in the world and is artist Hokusai’s most well-known artwork. It was published around 1892 as the first print of the series Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji. The painting depicts a huge threatening wave that towers above three small fishing vessels in Sagami Bay, with Mount Fuji in the distant background.

The size of the wave has led some to assume that the painting is depicting a tsunami, while others agree that it was more likely the representation of an enormous rogue wave.

Following a period of isolation from the west, Japanese art styles were exported to Europe where they were quickly adopted, a term referred to as Japonism. This particular piece was renowned for its impact on European art culture, with even Vincent van Gogh, a huge admirer of Hokusai’s work, praising the quality of line in the Japanese drawing, stating that the visual had an impact that could be described as “emotionally terrifying.”

The Great Wave off Kanagawa (1829) from 36 Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai. Although it is often used in tsunami literature, there is no reason to suspect that Hokusai intended it to be interpreted in that way. The waves in this work are sometimes mistakenly referred to as tsunami, but they are more accurately called okinami, being great off-shore waves; After Katsushika Hokusai, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Tomioka Tessai (1837 – 1924)

Born in 1837 as Tomioka Yūsuke, Tomioka Tessai is the pseudonym of this Japanese artist. He is known for being the last practitioner of the Bunjinga Tradition, as well as a forefather of the Nihonga style. Born into a merchant family, his inability to hear led his family to encourage him to be a scholar instead of a merchant. He studied literature and philosophy.

Portrait of Tomioka Tessai, before 1923; Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

After the death of his father, Tessai moved to a Shinto shrine. After more than ten years there, he began to study under numerous accomplished painters and soon developed his unique style. Western art was starting to exert its influence on the Eastern world, and Tessai urged artists to return to a traditional style of painting, hence initiating the Nihonga movement.

Abe-no-Nakamaro Writing a Nostalgic Poem While Viewing the Moon (1918)

This beautiful masterpiece was created by Tomioka Tessai in 1918. This silk canvas features a landscape of rural Japan, vivid red and green color bringing life to the otherwise beige composition. The painting depicts a tranquil scene in which a figure can be seen seated underneath one of the pagodas.

The figure is that of Abe-no-Nakamaro, a poet and scholar of the Nara period. As the name of the painting suggests, he is engaged in the act of writing poetry, something for which he was highly revered, while watching the full moon rise over the distant hills.

Abe-no-Nakamaro Writing a Nostalgic Poem While Moon-viewing (1918) by Tomioka Tessai; Tomioka Tessai, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Takashi Murakami (1962 – Present)

Takashi Murakami was born on the 1st of February 1962, making him the most recent addition to our list of famous Japanese artists. He is a contemporary artist, and besides working with painting and sculpture, he also works in animation, merchandise, and fashion.

He is known for coining the term “Superflat”, a description that reflects the aesthetic style of modern Japanese culture in the post-war era.

This style points towards an underlying legacy of two-dimensional flat imagery that had permeated Japanese art and film. Similar to the Pop art movement, “Superflat” sought to upcycle visual elements that were usually considered “low-art” and repackage them in a fresh manner, elevating them to the level of “high-art”.

Abstract “Superflat” image by artist Takashi Murakami at the London Galler; Tadeas Navratil, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Smooth Nightmare (2000)

Takashi Murakami has been given the title of the Andy Warhol of Asia and is considered the most famous Japanese artist of the 21st Century. Smooth Nightmare is representative of his “Superflat” aesthetic, using imagery that represents no visible depth of space.

The artwork depicts various objects that seem to be morphing between human-like figures and mushrooms. A central figure of a mushroom with eyes takes up most of the canvas, with the background being a flat grayscale shade.

Today, we have learned about ten famous male artists in the history of Japanese art, from the early Chinese-influenced styles of the 15th century through to today’s ultramodern styles of the latest artists pushing boundaries with new techniques and mediums.

Take a look at our Japanese painting webstory here!

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Japanese Art Differ From Other Eastern Cultures?

In short, yes. Although there was much initial influence from the Chinese Song Dynasty, the early Japanese artists soon adapted the styles and techniques to better suit their own aesthetic, and it wasn’t long before art began to rise out of the region that bore a distinctly Japanese character. After a period of isolation from the rest of the world due to war, the Japanese art style would eventually leave the borders of Japan and go on to influence the rest of the world, such as Europe.

What Is Japan’s Most Famous Painting?

The Great Wave off Kanagawa is undoubtedly the most well-known Japanese painting in the world. It was published around 1892 as the first print of the series Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji, created by the Japanese master Katsushika Hokusai.