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Top 10 Amazing Facts about Sessh奴 T艒y艒

Portrait of Sesshu(copy), important cultural property of Japan, hanging scroll.

Sesshu Toyo is regarded as one of the greatest painters in Japanese history. He was born in 1420 into the samurai Oda family.

He was born in Akahama which is also known as Soja City. This was a settlement in Bitchu province that is part of the current Okayama Prefecture.

Sesshu trained at the Shokoku-Ji temple in Kyoto, Japan as a Zen monk. He was also a Zen-Shu priest painter during the Muromachi period.

He was prominently known for his black ink painting. Sesshu was initially inspired by the Chinese landscape, but his work holds a distinctively Japanese style of Zen Buddhist aesthetics.

The work and paintings of Sesshu Toyo captured the landscapes, portraits, birds and flowers which were infused into their beliefs. The influence of Sesshu on painting was wider in that some schools of art appointed him as their founder.

His most acclaimed works include Winter Landscape, Birds and Flowers, and Four Landscape Scrolls of the Seasons. Let鈥檚 take you through the top 10 Amazing Facts about Sessh奴 T艒y艒:

1. Sesshu Entered Buddhist Community as a Child

At a very tender age, Sesshu Toyo entered the Buddhist community at Hofukuji temple in Okayama, Japan. Not much is known nor explained about the earlier life of Sesshu Toyo.

At the Hofukuji temple, Sesshu Toyo discovered his talent in painting which was nourished and became a great personality.

2. Sesshu was Punished, Tied to Post and Set Free by a Mouse Drawing

After joining the Hofukuji temple, Sesshu Toyo was not among the most disciplined young lads. At one time, Sesshu鈥檚 instructor was forced to punish him.

The punishment Sesshu received was getting tied to a temple post for some hours. While still tied to the post, Sesshu was crying and decided to use the tears as ink and draw a mouse on the wooden floor.

Surprisingly, the mouse sprung to life and set him free by gnawing the tight ropes.

3. Sesshu Became a Zen Monk at the Age of Twelve

After this incident at Hofukuji Temple, Sesshu decided to enter the Shokoku-Ji temple in Kyoto at the age of twelve. He entered as an acolyte under Shunrin Shuto, the head priest of all Zen temples.

Sesshu, later on, became a Zen monk at a very tender age. At this temple, Sesshu became a pupil of a highly regarded Japanese first great ink landscape painting master Tensho Shubun.

This was where Sesshu was given the freedom of concentrating on painting rather than the monastic and political duties.

4. Sesshu Funded by a Wealthy Warrior Clan to Travel to China to Explore and Learn

While at Shokoku-Ji temple, Sesshu Toyo continued with his progress in learning how to paint. At one point, he was funded by a wealthy warrior clan to join a Japanese envoy in China.

He travelled to China in 1467 and spent three years there. Sesshu explored the Chan monasteries, and landscapes and studied professional artists’ paintings of the Chinese.

The study of the Chinese landscape and professional artists鈥� paintings gave him perfect skills to sharpen his skills.

5. Sesshu鈥檚 Individualistic Style got Influenced by Chinese Landscape and Artists

Landscape by Sesshu (Ohara Collection), detail for dyk.

While in China for three years with the Japanese envoy, Sesshu Toyo discovered a lot and got more influence from the Chinese culture. He learned more about traditional Chinese paintings and their realistic styles.

With the vast feeling of nature and reference to Chinese ink painting, Sessh奴鈥檚 individualistic style got involved. He became sharper than how he used to be when he worked under Sh奴bun.

What made him succeed more is his familiarity with the Chinese landscapes.

6. Sesshu Returned to Japan and Created Spiritual Gardens

It seemed like Sesshu Toyo lived most of his life in China where he found their influence more positive than in Japan. However, he had to return to his homeland where he made several notable changes.

After three years, Sesshu visited Masuda in Japan where he studied Zen while still painting. He also created the spiritual gardens called Sessh奴鈥檚 gardens.

7. Sesshu Predominantly used Water and Ink in his Paintings

A copy of ‘Long Landscape’ by Sesshu Toyo. British Museum, London.

Sesshu Toyo was unique in what he used to make his paintings perfectly. His works were predominantly based on using water and ink to paint.

While making his paintings in diluted greys and blank ink, Sesshu used black Sumi (charcoal or soot-based solid ink on paper or silk). This made his paintings unique and was followed by his students who learnt about this technique which is studied by suibokuga artists.

8. Sesshu鈥檚 Most Acclaimed Works that Portrayed Zen Beliefs

Sesshu Toyo: Sansui chokan, detail, 1496. 40×1805 cm. Mori Foundation, Yamaguchi.

Even though much of Sesshu Toyo鈥檚 artwork was influenced by the Chinese culture, he ensured that he maintained the originality of Japanese. His most acclaimed works included the Winter Landscape, Four Landscape and Birds and Flowers.

These three artworks demonstrated the style of flattened space, emphatic outlines and angular brushstrokes. Most importantly, they managed to portray the Zen beliefs rather than being fully influenced by the Chinese artists’ work.

The Four Landscape Scrolls were safely preserved and kept at the Tokyo National Museum with an inscription honouring Sesshu Toyo.

9. Sesshu was Honoured at the Imperial Court in Beijing

The three years that Sesshu Toyo spent in China were a huge success for himself and his artwork. He sharpened his skills which got him more recognition across China.

At some point in his three years stay in China, Sesshu Toyo was honoured at the imperial court in Beijing. He was also honoured at the most celebrated Chan monastery in China.

10. Sesshu鈥檚 Death and Legacies he left

After his last visit to Japan from China, Sesshu Toyo did not live that long. It is believed that Sesshu Toyo died in 1506 at the age of 87.

Sesshu died at Tokoji temple and his remains were taken to Ikoji temple which was later on known as Sesshu temple. He was cremated, but several other temples across Japan report that his remains were kept there.

His immediate pupil, Shutoku inherited one of his studios and continued with his legacies. Most of his legacies went on till the 16th century as the pupils kept on passing his teachings.

Sesshu Toyo will always be regarded as the best artist in painting across Japan and his legacies are always acknowledged.