Ryozen

JAPAN, Kyushu; Kamakura to Nanbokucho period

Ryozen was a monk and painter between the Kamakura (1185–1333) and Nanbokucho (1336–1392) period. From his alias signature, Kaiseijin, it is inferred that he came from Kyushu, but he is also speculated to have been from Bokkai, just north of the Korean Peninsula.
He was skilled at painting in ink and most often portrayed Buddhist and Daoist themes and figures. With a solid foundation on the traditional techniques of Buddhist painting, he absorbed the new and unique methods of the Song (960–1279) and Yuan (1271–1368) dynasties in China. He emphasized a delicate and orderly use of the brush, producing figures that appear active and lifelike.
Each of his extant paintings are listed as an Important Cultural Property of Japan. They include Life of the Buddha - Parinirvana, kept at Hongakuji Temple in Fukui; Sixteen Arhats, kept at Kenninji Temple in Kyoto; Avalokitesvara in a White Robe, kept at Myokoji Temple in Aichi; Manjusri Bodhisattva Riding a Lion, kept at the Masaki Art Museum in Osaka; and Sakyamuni Buddha Triad, kept at Seichoji Temple in Hyogo.