Kanō Mitsunobu(died 1608) was the son of Kanō Eitoku

Kano Eitoku

was a Japanese painter who lived during the Azuchi–Momoyama period of Japanese history and one of the most prominent patriarchs of the Kanō school of Japanese painting...

, and an influential artist of the Kanō school

Kano school

The ' is one of the most famous schools of Japanese painting. The Kanō school of painting was the dominant style of painting until the Meiji period.It was founded by Kanō Masanobu , a contemporary of Sesshū and student of Shūbun...

 of Japanese painting

Japanese painting

is one of the oldest and most highly refined of the Japanese visual arts, encompassing a wide variety of genres and styles. As with the history of Japanese arts in general, the long history of Japanese painting exhibits synthesis and competition between native Japanese aesthetics and adaptation of...

.

Scholars disagree on the year of Mitsunobu's birth, placing it in either 1561 or 1565. The earliest record of his involvement on any major project was in conjunction with his father's commission to paint elements of Oda Nobunaga

Oda Nobunaga

was the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...

's Azuchi Castle

Azuchi Castle

' was one of the primary castles of Oda Nobunaga. It was built from 1576 to 1579, on the shores of Lake Biwa, in Ōmi Province. Nobunaga intentionally built it close enough to Kyoto that he could watch over and guard the approaches to the capital, but, being outside the city, his fortress would be...

. He also worked with his father on a number of other major castles

Japanese castle

' were fortresses composed primarily of wood and stone. They evolved from the wooden stockades of earlier centuries, and came into their best-known form in the 16th century...

 and palaces, including Osaka Castle

Osaka Castle

is a Japanese castle in Chūō-ku, Osaka, Japan.Originally called Ozakajō, it is one of Japan's most famous castles, and played a major role in the unification of Japan during the sixteenth century of the Azuchi-Momoyama period.-Description:...

, Kyoto Gosho

Kyoto Gosho

The is an imperial palace of Japan, though the Emperor of Japan is not in residence. The Emperor has resided at the Tokyo Imperial Palace since 1869 and ordered the preservation of the Kyōto Imperial Palace in 1877....

, and Toyotomi Hideyoshi

Toyotomi Hideyoshi

was a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...

's Jurakudai

Jurakudai

The Jurakudai or Jurakutei was a lavish palace constructed at the order of Toyotomi Hideyoshi in Kyoto, Japan. Construction began in 1586, when Hideyoshi had taken the post of kanpaku, and required 19 months...

 palace.

After his father's death in 1590, Mitsunobu became the head of the family and of the school. He took over the Kyoto Imperial Palace project, and continued to receive many illustrious commissions. However, in part due to his poor leadership skills and political ability, he lost many commissions and patrons to the rival Hasegawa school

Hasegawa school

The Hasegawa school was a school of Japanese painting founded in the 16th century by Hasegawa Tōhaku and disappearing around the beginning of the 18th century....

of painting.

While a master of the fundamental Kanō school style, and that of his father, Mitsunobu expressed elements of his own preferences and skills in his paintings. His color paintings of flowers, trees and similar subjects made extensive use of gold-leaf as most Kanō paintings did, but also displayed a delicate, elegant, and gentle lightness.