was a Japanese painter.
Tosa Mitsuoki succeeded his father, Tosa Mitsunori (1583–1638), as head of the Tosa school and brought the Tosa school to Kyoto after around 50 years in Sakai. When the school was settled in Sakai, Mitsunori painted for townsmen. The school was not as prolific as it once was when Mitsunobu, who painted many fine scrolls (1434–1525) ran the school. Mitsuoki moved out of Sakai with his father, in 1634 and into the city of Kyoto. There, he hoped to revive the Tosa school to gain status back into the Kyoto court. Around the time of 1654 he gained a position as court painter (edokoro azukari) that had for many years traditionally been held by the Tosa family, but was in possession of the Kano school since the late Muromachi period (1338–1573).
Restoring the Tosa School
In 1634, Mitsuoki relocataed from Sakai, Osaka prefecture to the capitol at the behest of Emperor Go-Mizunoo. Mitsunori began painting ceremonial fans sensu for the court. In 1654, Mitsuoki succeeded his father, Tosa Mitsunori, when he was elevated to the title of the edokoro azukari,"head of the Imperial court painting bureau". The Tosa-ha prospered throughout the Edo period, during the years of 1600 to 1868. Tosa school works were again was favored by the Kyoto elites at court. Showing influence form Chinese paintings and echoing stylistic choices of the Kano School, Mitsuoki's painting style deviated more so from Tosa style traditions than his predecessors granting him a wider audience of appeal to the changing art tastes of the imperial court. Mitsuoki descendants succeeded him in his role as edokoro azukari, starting with his son, Tosa Mitsunari (1646–1710). Many of the successors used the same techniques and style of painting as Mitsuoki, this lack of innovation by Mitsuoki's successors produced many works that could be misappropriated to Mitsuoki. This lack of adaption to the continuously evolving 17th century Japanese culture lead to the gradual disinterest in the family's work and its eventual die out in the nineteenth century. In 1690, Mitsuoki contributed to The Authoritative Summary of the Rules of Japanese Painting, Honchou gahou daiden (本朝画法大伝) a book detailing many Tosa painting techniques that had been traditionally handed down orally.
The Art Workshop
The court and political affiliated art school practices of historical Japan are far different than their contemporary counterparts in Europe and America, but more akin to a family craft, business, or workshop than academic institution where any person may apply and learn the trade. Many practices flourished during the Edo period, imploring different understandings of Japanese customs and Chinese artistic learning. Each school's practice was a closely guarded secret traditionally passed down orally or in short written documents from master to student. Unfortunately due to a multitude of circumstances many of these documents being lost or destroyed, there exists a limited wealth of written documentation. What little scattered and incomplete documentation that still exists is in the form of personal diaries, nikki, lists, letters, and inscriptions on artworks themselves. For many art workshops, labor would be divided based on seniority and skill, with the head of the workshop acting as a quasi-middleman between the aristocratic commissioner and the various craftsmen employed by the workshop; fulfilling the role of commissioner, preservationist and restorationist, appraiser, and official channel of communications.
After Death
The later Tosa style of the eighteenth century showed very little strength or promise due to loss of patrons and overshadowing from the Kanō school. The school was affected by the growing popularity of the study of Japanese history and the rise of the imperial family. Around the nineteenth century, there was a distinct revival under two artist named Tanaka Totsugen and Reizei Tamechika who specialized in repeating Mitsuoki's work. Their work reaffirmed the Japanese spirit of Yamato-e, which they made many copies. Their art reflected political philosophy and sometimes had a historical connecting because several of the artists were also faithful to the imperial cause. The two artists were revivalists, and got so caught up in painting historical figures, that they overlooked the special greatness of the early artists who specialized in movement and realism. The most successful successors invented their own artistic style but kept the predecessors tradition of painting in strong color with an intense feeling of natural beauty.