Theory of Art Creation 4: "Rikyu according to Hasegawa Tohaku"

There are two portraits of Rikyu, both of which are said to be works by Hasegawa Tōhaku.

Shun'oku Soen's Praise Fushin'an

This portrait was painted in the fourth year of Bunroku, four years after Ritai's death. He wears a black robe and a master's hood, picks up his own layer and sits on the upper tatami mat. His sharp gaze and tightly closed mouth give the impression of the courage and strong will of a man who served Nobunaga and Hideyoshi and weathered turbulent times. The inscription on the box by Shun'oku Soen (Daitoku-ji Temple) indicates that it was commissioned by Tanaka Sokei, the first head of the Raku school. The inscription on the box was written by Rikyu's grandson Sotan, and the "Kakubi-ki" records that Sotan used it for a tea ceremony in the first year of the Keian era. There is no artist's seal, but the style of the painting suggests that it was the work of Hasegawa Tōhaku. The year before, he painted a portrait of Soen (Important Cultural Property, Sangen-in Temple, Kyoto), and prior to that, in Tensho 17, he created the mural on the upper level of the Daitoku-ji temple gate and the paintings on the sliding doors of Sangen-in Temple, both donated by Rikyu. It is also a valuable historical document showing the friendship between the owner, the supporter, and the artist, and several copies from the Edo period have been handed down. Among them, the portrait of Rikyu copied by Maruyama Okyo and handed down to Nishi Honganji Temple is an interesting one with a comment by the sixth head of the Yabuuchi family, Hirosai.

Kokei Sochin's Praise Masaki Art Museum

The inscription by Kokei Sochin (Daitoku-ji Temple), Rikyu's Zen teacher, written in August 1581, indicates that this portrait was made at the age of 62. The inscription is also titled "Rikyu Soeki Zen Man of Fantasy," making it an important historical document supporting the description in Shun'oku Soen's "Ichimokuko" collection of sayings, which states that Soen and Sochin's teacher Daibayashi Soso bestowed the title Rikyu before the tea ceremony at the Imperial Court in 1581. With the death of Nobunaga in the Honno-ji Incident in 1581 and the death of Shibata Katsuie in April of the same year, Hideyoshi became the de facto ruler of Japan. The inscription reads, "In this day and age, I serve as the master of tea ceremony," and some believe that this portrait was made to commemorate Hideyoshi's appointment as tea master. The manly face is reminiscent of Rikyu at the peak of his power. It has long been suggested that this painting may have been painted by Hasegawa Tōhaku, but in recent years there have been reports that it may have been the work of a Tosa school painter based in Sakai.

	Praise for Shun'oku Soen	Praise from Kokei-zong
When it was painted	Bunroku 4th year (1595)	August 1583 (Tensho 11)
Rikyu's Age	Around age 66	Around age 62
Clothing	The master is wearing a black robe and hood and sits on the upper tatami mat.	Dressed in black, sitting on the upper tatami mat
Expression	Sharp gaze, tight lips	A bold look
Background	A posthumous portrait commissioned by the founder of the Raku family, Sokei Tanaka	Possibility of commemorating Hideyoshi's appointment as tea master
Style	It is highly likely that this was written by Hasegawa Tōhaku.	In recent years, the possibility that he was a Tosa-ha artist has also been pointed out.

Tōhaku and Rikyu both served Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Hideyoshi encouraged the tea ceremony, and the two played important roles in tea ceremonies. At Hideyoshi's command, Tōhaku created sliding screen paintings for Jurakudai and Fushimi Castle. He also helped set up the tea rooms for tea ceremonies. Rikyu oversaw the ceremonies as the head tea master, instructed the etiquette, and was involved in the production of tea utensils and the design of the tea rooms.
When comparing the two portraits, one gets the impression that they look similar at first glance. However, a resemblance presupposes that there is some difference, so it is a little strange to assert that they are the same person. As mentioned above, Rikyu's age is different, but the impression one gets from his face is unclear as to whether it is due to aging or the difference in the artist.
If we look at the differences between Tohaku and Rikyu, we can point to their artistic and spiritual qualities. They both served Hideyoshi and played important roles in tea ceremonies. However, it should be noted that there are clear differences between their artistic and spiritual qualities . Tohaku excelled in splendid and powerful expressions. While inheriting the style of the Kano school, he established his own style. His works are characterized by their splendid and powerful expressions that make full use of gold leaf and vivid colors. His representative work, "Pine Forest," is also surprising not so much for its delicate ink brushwork, but for its bold spatial arrangement. The "Landscape Screen" overwhelms the viewer with its ink traces that combine strength and delicacy. On the other hand, Rikyu pursued the spirit of wabi-cha in the design of tea utensils and tea rooms. He believed that the essence of tea ceremony is the simple beauty of stripping away all unnecessary things, and the richness of the heart born in silence. The tea bowls and tea rooms that Rikyu worked on were free of flashy decoration, and many of them made use of the natural beauty of simple materials. In this way, it can be said that Tōhaku and Rikyu had contrasting aspects in terms of artistic expression . While Tōhaku pursued art that overwhelmed the viewer with its gorgeous and powerful expression, Rikyu pursued art that embodied the spirit of tranquility and wabi, and appealed to the depths of the soul.