The Architect of Yamato-e Tradition In the heart of Kyoto, within a lineage of painters who served the Imperial court, emerged a figure whose influence would define the aesthetic landscape of Muromachi period Japan. Tosa Mitsunobu was not merely a painter but the foundational architect of the Tosa school, a movement dedicated to the preservation and refinement of yamato-e. This style, deeply rooted in the native Japanese spirit, stood as a graceful counterpoint to the burgeoning influences of Chinese art that were sweeping through the continent. Born into a family of court painters, Mitsunob…