A new portrait of Yoshimitsu Ashikaga, the shogun of the Muromachi Shogunate, has been found.

Characterized by a dark beard and a youthful facial expression, the experts who conducted the survey pointed out that "it is an important discovery that can read a new image of Yoshimitsu."

The portrait found is about 1 meter long and 40 centimeters wide, and depicts a person in the shape of a monk sitting on a tatami mat.



A man in Tokyo purchased it from an antique dealer, and after that, when the Historiographical Institute of the University of Tokyo investigated it, it was judged that he drew the appearance of Yoshimitsu Ashikaga, the third shogun of the Muromachi Shogunate, from his face and costumes. It was.



Compared to the portrait of Yoshimitsu, which is widely known as the one in the Kinkakuji Temple in Kyoto, it has features such as a dark beard and a youthful expression with less wrinkles on the face.



The Historiographical Institute believes that this portrait was painted around 1550 AD, about 150 years after Yoshimitsu's death, due to the characteristics of the silk and stamped seals on the fabric.



It is extremely rare to find new portraits of the shogun in the Middle Ages, and only a few portraits of Yoshimitsu Ashikaga have been identified so far.



Yuki Murai, an associate professor at the Historiographical Institute of the University of Tokyo, said, "It is very surprising that a new portrait of a famous person named Yoshimitsu has appeared. I think we can read a new image of Yoshimitsu. "

Shogun Yoshimitsu at the height of the Muromachi Shogunate

Yoshimitsu Ashikaga (1358 to 1408) was born as a child of Yoshiakira, the second shogun of the Muromachi Shogunate, and was handed over to the family after Yoshiakira died in 1367 AD, and became the third shogun the following year.



In 1392, he achieved the "union of the Northern and Southern Courts" that united the imperial courts that were divided into the Northern and Southern Courts, and settled the long-standing turmoil.



After that, the Ming dynasty of China began a joint trade, and the Muromachi Shogunate reached its peak under Yoshimitsu.



In addition, we founded Kaenji Temple, which is known as Sokokuji Temple and Kinkakuji Temple in Kyoto, and brought about "Kitayama culture".

What can be read from the portrait

The researcher who conducted the survey carefully observed the real thing and tried to "solve the mystery" such as the content of the picture and the background of the times.



The first thing I noticed was the appearance of the face.

In the portrait found this time, a black beard is growing and the eyes are slightly raised.



Compared to the statue of Yoshimitsu Ashikaga at Kinkakuji Temple, which has a white beard and sloping eyes, it gives a strong impression.

Did you draw the figure immediately after leaving the house?

In addition, Associate Professor Yuki Murai, who specializes in medieval Japanese history, paid attention to the "wrapping" drawn in front of the person.



It is thought that this package contains clothes that are given to the priest when he leaves the house, and it is judged that he drew the figure in his late 30s immediately after the priest, along with the youthful facial expression.



On the other hand, Associate Professor Akira Takagishi of the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences, who specializes in Japanese medieval painting, has another painting that serves as a model for this portrait, and when copying that painting, the color of the beard He also pointed out another possibility that the information was lost and the painting was black.



"If you lost that information about whether your beard was black or white when you copied the original picture, it's possible that your white beard would turn black. What's your face? If you transfer it over and over again, detailed information such as wrinkles disappears and the surface looks smooth and young. That may be possible. "

When and who drew

When and who painted this portrait?



The key to solving the mystery is the evidence of the stamp in the lower right corner of the portrait.



The marked part has been scraped off and is not visible to the naked eye, but it became clear that it was shaped like a "pot" by shining a special light beam called ALS light.



According to Associate Professor Takagishi, the pot-shaped stamp was used by a group of Kano schools, including Motonobu Kano, a painter who was active in the late Muromachi period.



In addition, the silk used for the fabric is thought to have been used in the 1500s of the Christian era from the weaving method, and the Kano school's characteristics can be seen in the way the face is drawn, so Associate Professor Takagishi said Yoshimitsu. It is assumed that it was painted by a Kano school painter around 1550 AD, about 150 years after his death.



Associate Professor Takagishi said, "If you refer to the seal, it is highly possible that it was drawn by a Kano school workshop, and the impression of the face is very close to the style of painting around Motonobu. It is a very important example when considering the flow of art history. I think. "

Why it was drawn 150 years later

So why was this portrait painted 150 years after his death?



Associate Professor Murai focused on a building called Rokuonin, which Yoshimitsu built at Sokokuji Temple in Kyoto.



According to Associate Professor Murai, there is a record that there was a portrait of Yoshimitsu in Rokuonin, but the building was destroyed by fire in the 1520s AD, and then there was a movement to revive it.



At that time, Associate Professor Murai needed a portrait of the founder, Yoshimitsu, and I suspect that the one found this time was made at this time.

Associate Professor Murai said, "Because it was a time when the shogunate was weakening, it was necessary to recreate the portrait of Yoshimitsu, who created the heyday of the shogunate, and reaffirm the significance of Ashikaga's existence. The building remains burnt. Since it is related to the authority of the shogunate, it was important to rebuild it and perform fine ceremonies and Buddhist rituals there. "

On the other hand, Associate Professor Takagishi speculates that if Yoshimitsu's 150th anniversary was held, it might have been drawn for use in Buddhist affairs at that time.



Associate Professor Takagishi said, "I think that the phenomenon of drawing a shogun in the heyday of the Shogunate again when the power of the Shogunate is weakening may be an important clue when considering society and politics in the 16th century." I'm talking.