(b Nagoya, 1783; d Nagoya, 1856). Japanese painter. He was the son of a sculptor, who worked for the Owari clan. He probably first studied with Yamamoto Ranei, a minor Kano school artist, who later switched to painting ukiyoe (‘pictures of the floating world’). Another possible early teacher was Yamada Kyujo (1747–93), a prominent exponent of literati (Jap. Nanga or Bunjinga) painting in Nagoya, who died when Baiitsu was only ten years old. It is more likely that Baiitsu studied under Cho Gessho (1770–1832), a Shijo school painter (see JAPAN, §VI, 4(viii)) and haiku poet who was a pupil of Kyujo. Baiitsu also claimed to have been influenced by the Nagoya artist Tanaka Totsugen (1767–1823), founder of the Yamatoe revival (Fukko Yamatoe) movement. The most formative influence on Baiitsu’s approach to painting was that of his mentor, the merchant and collector Kamiya Ten’yu (1710–1801), who also patronized other literati painters, including Nakabayashi Chikuto (1776–1853). Baiitsu studied and copied Ten’yu’s collection of Chinese paintings of the Yuan (1279–1368) to Qing (1644–1911) periods, a practice he continued throughout his career. He was also instructed by him in Chinese painting methodology and, under his guidance, developed an interest in a variety of literati pursuits, including the collecting and connoisseurship of Chinese painting, the preparing of tea in Chinese style (sencha) and the writing of Japanese classical verse (waka) and Chinese-style poetry.

• Yamamoto Baiitsu
  • Nagoya, §2: 1610–1871
  • works
    • Japan, §VI, 4(vi)(d): Late foreign-influenced painting: Nanga