Fukko yamato-e-ha 復古大和絵派

A later-era appellation given to a group of artists from the late Edo period who consciously attempted revive the past *yamoto-e やまと絵 tradition of the Heian and Kamakura periods. Most of the members of this group first studied with contemporary Tosa or Sumiyoshi school artists, *Tosa-ha 土佐派 or *Sumiyoshi-ha 住吉派, considered retainers of traditional-style painting, and then broke from this style. Dissatisfied with the mannerism characteristic of their teachers' yamato-e style works, they consciously strove to create their own revivalism by copying ancient models or by strictly adhering to old styles. The Fukko yamato-e-ha artists were closely connected to a political movement which sought to revive the power of the Emperor and their loyalism to him often resulted in accusations of subversive activities being lodged against them.
The leader of this movement, Tanaka Totsugen 田中訥言 (1767-1823), initially trained with Tosa artists, but soon grew dissatisfied and began to advocate a more direct revival through copying ancient scrolls such as the handscrolls of The Story of The Courtier Ban Dainagon, Ban Dainagon ekotoba 伴大納言絵詞 (Idemitsu 出光 Museum of Art, Tokyo). One of his well-known works is a pair of two folding screens for The Hundred Flowers and Grasses, Hyakka hyakusō zu 百花百草図 (Tokugawa 徳川 Museum, Aichi Prefecture), which is influenced by the *Rinpa 琳派 painting school. Ukita Ikkei 浮田一蕙 (1795-1859) was a faithful disciple of Totsugen and adhered to the yamato-e revival. He became active in a movement to restore the Emperor, was arrested, and died soon after his release. One of the works he has left is a parody based on the famous Kamakura period handscrolls of The Kasuga Gongen Miracles, Kasuga Gongen kenki emaki 春日権現験記絵巻, known as the Konkai Zōshi 婚怪草子, a scroll in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Okada Tamechika 岡田為恭 (also known as Reizei 冷泉 Tamechika, 1823-64) was the most talented and well-known member of this school. Although he was born to the Kyoto Kano family, *Kyōgano 京狩野, he loved ancient yamato-e and formed an allegiance with Totsugen. He copied a large number of masterpieces from the Heian and Kamakura periods including the 48 handscrolls of The Priest Hōnen, Hōnen Shōnin eden 法然上人絵伝 (Chion'in 知恩院, Kyoto). One of his well-known works is the screen paintings of figures enjoying ancient play in a landscape setting at Daijuji 大樹寺, Aichi Prefecture. He was involved in the political movement as well, and was assassinated.