Oda Shōshū – 小田松舟 (act. Meiji – Taisho periods) – Nakamichiyama Enkoji Myōō-in Temple (National Treasure) – 中道山円光寺明王院

SOLD. – THANK-YOU!

At this point in our research, of which there has been a fair amount, we are confident that this painter, of which there is scant biographical information at hand, was a student of the great Suzuki Shōnen. He shows mostly Shijō-ha and Suzuki-ha techniques in his brush strokes and even sports the character “shō” (松) from Shōnen (in his master’s brush style), who bequeathed it to his worthy students for their art names. He is listed in the 1916 Imperial Painting Registry, which places him in the exact timeline of being a student of the Suzuki School. That there is little biographical information available means that he may have passed at a young age, -perhaps during the 1918 pandemic, -but almost certainly before the end of WWII. The last two photos show one of the historical pieces he painted for, and which resides at, Enkoji Myōō-in temple, as well as the placard with his name at the top (小田松舟筆 – Oda Shōshū brush). The temple, located near the center of Mt. Atago, is sacred to adherants of the Shingon sect of Buddhism, and was founded by the legendary Kobo Daishi in 807 AD. A photo of the pagoda by the river from a different angle can be seen after the images of the scroll. If anything, it is obvious that Oda-san was a devoted student of Kobo Daishi and Shingon Buddhism, and it is more than likely that he was a priest at Enkoji Myōō-in.

The creases along the sides at the bottom of the painting (honshi) have since been restored and smoothed out. Good condition (normal, tiny stains and normal ageing and toning). Very nice condition for well over 100 years old. Bone jikusaki (roller ends). Singed “Shōshū hitsu”, and titled “Shōshū sansui” on the upper verso. *After clicking on a picture, click the top left corner to expand them even larger.

Long. – 23″ x 82″.  – $325 CAD – Comes with a signed and sealed document of authenticity and roughly 3 hours worth of relevant documentaries and further reading. Price includes shipping worldwide. All prices in Canadian dollars.