Hirano Gogaku (1810-1893)Nanga
Flowering plumbranchSigned: Gaku
Seals: Gogaku & Chikubu
Technique: sumi on coated paper 14,5 x 46,4
Condition: slight wormage, otherwise very good
When Gogaku became seven years old he was adopted by the head of the Sennen-ji, a branch of the Jôdô sect temple Higashi Hongan-ji in Kyoto. From the age of ten Gogaku studied Chinese poetry and calligraphy for five years at the at the important kangien, confucian academy, of Hirose Tansô (1782-1856) in his hometown Hita, Kyûshû. In these five years he met with many of the important literati who were connected with the Kangien. Gogaku, one of its top students became a famous Kanshi (Chinese poet).
As a painter Gogaku was largely self-taught. He followed the style of Chikuden and after a trip to Nagasaki from 1842 to 1845 he became influenced by the Nagasaki painters Kinoshita Itsuun (1799-1866) and Hidaka Tetsuô (1791-1871). In 1833 he went to Kyoto for the first time, where he stayed with Nukina Kaioku (1778–1863) and became friends with Hine Taizan (1813–1869) and Maeda Chôdô (1817-1878). He returned many times and shared the ideas of the bunjin loyalists to the Emperor.
His paintings and calligraphies were highly appreciated by collectors. Between 1869 and 1874 he produced a large number of paintings, of which some were shown in the Vienna International Exhibition in 1873. After 1882 he used the money, which he made from painting to rebuild parts of the Sennen-ji.
Reference:
Roberts p. 32
Araki p. 293-297
Nagasawa # 3721
Rosenfield b.15
Hempel '98 p. 163
Price: SOLD