Cypress Trees 

Massive cypress trees with powerful, twisting branches seem to burst beyond the edges of the composition. The artist, Kanō Eitoku (1543–90), lived during a period marked by ruthless civil war and unprecedented artistic innovation. He enjoyed the patronage of powerful samurai warlords, noblemen, and Buddhist monks, creating countless large-scale paintings for castles, palaces, and temples.
Scholars believe the paintings here were originally mounted on sliding doors inside the mansion of the Hachijō no Miya, an important branch of the imperial family. Eitoku amplified the painting’s visual impact by limiting the number of motifs and employing vibrant, contrasting colors. This masterpiece, created in the final year of his life, embodies the unbridled energy of his time.

Cultural property designation

National Treasure

Quantity

Artist

By Kanō Eitoku (1543-90)

Period/Century

Azuchi-Momoyama period, 1590

Country/Origin

Excavation site

Material

Color and gold leaf on paper

Size

Inscriptions

Donor

Collection reference no.

A-1069

Genre

Painting

Category

Paintings, sketches, and prints > Japan > Early modern paintings