It is from the middle of 11th century to the beginning of 13th century that most of the excellent Buddhist-paintings were produced in Japan. This glorious period of Buddhist-painters can be said to have begun in 1068, when a famous painter Kyozen was honoured with the title of Sogoi (one of the high orders of Buddhist-monks). From that time on that title was given to a few distinguished painters one after another. This fact shows that the social status of painters was officially admitted. In 1184 Syoga, who was one of the famous painters of the Takuma school, was honoured with the same title. In this case, however, it was given to him rather as a priest, not as a distinguished painter. In the following times we can find a few similar cases, which tell the arrival of a new period in the history of Japanese paintings.
