Sesshū (1420–1506?) is revered as perhaps the most important painter in the history of Japanese art, often hailed as a “saint of painting” (gasei). The fact that six of his works have been designated National Treasures testifies to the extraordinary recognition that this medieval artist has received in the modern era. Nevertheless, the veneration of Sesshū today is not based solely on contemporary assessments of his artworks; it is also rooted in a longstanding tradition of acclaim cultivated over centuries.
This exhibition delves into the evolving status of Sesshū by tracing how his works were received in early modern Japan from around the sixteenth through nineteenth centuries. During the Momoyama period (1573–1615), the Unkoku and Hasegawa schools proudly identified themselves as artistic successors of Sesshū. In the Edo period (1615–1868), artists of the preeminent Kano school considered Sesshū’s body of work as the cornerstone of their own signature painting style. Sesshū’s artistic charisma inspired not only these major schools of Chinese-influenced ink painting (kanga) but also a diverse array of painters who went on to explore new aesthetic frontiers.
The reception of Sesshū itself is a complex phenomenon that can only be comprehended through multiple perspectives. This exhibition explores the myriad factors that, over time, elevated Sesshū to the highest echelons of the Japanese art world and solidified his status as a legendary master painter.

Important Cultural Property
Birds and Flowers of the Four Seasons (right screen)
By Sesshū
Kyoto National Museum