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context: painting > great schools > kano
Kano Tan'yu 1602-74
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Kano Tan'yu's pines at Nijo Hall
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There can't have been many more successful painters in world history than Kano Tan'yu. Obviously being senior son in one of the most successful art dynasties ever is a strong start, and being in Edo in the 17th Century was astute too - there have been few better boom-towns for artists ever. Besides the colossal sums of spare money sloshing around, besides the aristocrats wanting to impress with their spending money, classiness and good taste, there was also a shogun who needed to send a message - 'I'm in charge, I'm staying, and I'm building.'
Tan'yu was appointed as what amounted to painter-in-residence to the shogun, and took charge of decorating one castle after another. His rewards included a large annual salary, and the bonuses included a mansion. But the broad expanses of gold on show in his work at the Nijo Hall weren't just about conspicuous consumption; one of the reasons this was popular in large houses was that the rooms were large and the windows small, so bright and reflective screens really helped the atmosphere.