Background
He was born in Ōmi province, the fifth son of Kaihō Tsunachika, who was a vassal of Azai Nagamasa.
海北 友松
He was born in Ōmi province, the fifth son of Kaihō Tsunachika, who was a vassal of Azai Nagamasa.
At an early age he became a page at the Tōfuku-ji (temple) in Kyōto and, later a lay priest. Then, he worked at Jurakudai, under the patronage of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the Emperor Go-Yōzei. At first, he patterned his work after Sung painter Liang K"ai, doing only monochrome ink paintings, using a "reduced brush stroke" (gempitsu), relying more on ink washes than sharp hard strokes.
Later, he worked in fashionable rich colors and gold leaf.
Several of Yūshō"s work have been designated as Registered Important Cultural Property. Among these are the following:
Landscape, 1599.
Two hanging scrolls, ink on paper. Located in Kennin-ji, Kyoto, Japan
Plum and pine, around 1599.
Four sliding doors, ink on paper.
Located in Zenkyō-an (Kennin-ji), Kyoto, Japan (See detail in "Oiseaux sur une branche de pin" in gallery below)
Pair of six-fold screens, ink and light color on paper. Located in Reitō-in (Kennin-ji), Kyoto, Japan.