The Purpose of Painting Craftsmen in the Case of Kitain-Version : Analysis Based on Comparison to Genre paintings of the Early Modern Period

Abstract

Paintings of craftsmen, Shokunin-e, portray people of various occupations. While early Shokunin-e paintings in the medieval period illustrate craftsmen without any background, Shokunin-e paintings in the early modern period depict people working at their workshops, and the Kitain-version is the most notable example of the latter. The previous studies argue that the Kitain-version's depictions are taken out from those of paintings of the scenes in and around the capital (Rakuchu-Rakugau-zu). This paper, however, argues that, while the Kitain-version is obviously under some influence of Rakuchu Rakugai-zu and other genre paintings, important features of the Kitain-version, which are different from depictions in other genre paintings, should be examined. Based on discussions on these features with comparisons to other early modern genre paintings, this paper concludes as follows. First, paintings with focus on the life of ordinary people gained popularity in the early 17th century, and its root lied in the Oda-Toyotomi era. Second, the Kitain-version, however, is more than just depicting citizen's life. By incorporating traditional Shokunin-e style, it illustrates craftsmen as people with distinguished skill and social status. The purpose of the Kitain-version was not just to illustrate ordinary people but also to honor them, which was innovative compared to its contemporary genre paintings.