Star Festival by Reizei Tamechika 冷泉為恭筆乞巧奠自画賛レイゼイタメチカヒツキコウデンジガサン

Description

Reizei Tamechika (1823-1864) was a painter who lived toward the last years of the Edo military administration. Although he was born in Kyoto as Kano Eitai’s son, he did not inherit this famous painter family’s name and adopted the Reizei surname instead. Later, he was adopted into the Okada family. He first practiced the traditional Kano-style painting techniques under his father, but was later attracted to the Yamato-e techniques. He taught himself the various Yamato-e techniques by making replicas of famous ancient paintings. In order to copy the Narrative Scroll of Provisional Major Counselor Ban Dainagon (illustrated story of the downfall of Tomo-no-Yoshio, or Ban Dainagon, the Chief Councilor of State who lived in the early 9th century), Tamechika often visited the home of Sakai Tadaaki (1813-1873), the acting police superintendent of Kyoto and the owner of this ancient masterpiece. The action roused suspicion among the “Revere the Emperor” political radicals who eventually assassinated Tamechika in Tamba Ichi (Nara Pref.) on May 5, 1864. The artist was 42 years old. In the history of calligraphy, Tamechika is classified in the Jodai-yo classical style and left behind many fine replicas of various famous ancient brushworks.