Kiyohara Yukinobu (1643 - 1682)

In spite of social limitations, women artists flourished in Japan during the Edo period (1600-1868). These artists were not members of the nobility, although some court and high-ranking ladies did painting and calligraphy. The most famous studio in the 17th century was the Kano School, and Kiyohara Yukinobu, the daughter of one of school's masters, was its most famous female painter. Yukinobu received formal training in the popular traditional Chinese techniques for doing landscapes, flowers, birds, and humans, especially beautiful and gentle goddesses often seen in Buddhist art. Not only did her work contain beautiful flowing lines, but she was able to paint intricate designs on garments that were very pleasing She was also talented at doing yamato-e, a Japanese art style used to paint portraits and tell stories in pictures.