Kose no Kanaoka (巨勢金岡)
KOSE no Kanaoka (date of birth and death unknown) was a kyutei gaka (a court painter) during the early Heian period.
He was a youthful noble with Chunagon (vice-councilor of state) KOSE no Notari as his father, but his rich artistic talent was recognized by the Imperial Court, and he flourished under the patronage of influential persons such as Emperor Uda and FUJIWARA no Mototsune. He supervised Shinsen-en Temple at the Imperial Court from 868 to 872, and in the process he formed friendship with intellectual persons such as SUGAWARA no Michizane and KI no Haseo.
He is known as someone who pursued and added depth to the style unique to Japanese-style painting, and he is said to be the one who rendered distinguished service by establishing the style of Yamato-e painting (a traditional Japanese style painting of the late Heian and Kamakura periods dealing with Japanese themes) that no longer had the influence of kara-e painting (Chinese-style painting). Furthermore, his descendants later formed a circle of painters known as the Kose school, and it greatly influenced the fields of kyutei ga (court paintings) and Buddhist paintings. Unfortunately, none of his work exists now, even though its discovery is desirable.
In Kanaoka-mura (Osaka Prefecture), Kita-ku (Sakai City), Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture, where KOSE no Kanaoka is believed to have lived, there is Kanaoka-jinja Shrine that enshrines KOSE no Kanaoka, and it is the source of names such as Kanaoka-cho and Osaka Prefectural Kanaoka High School.
There is an area named 'Shimizu' in Itami City, Hyogo Prefecture, which derives its toponym from the fact that KOSE no Kanaoka obtained water from the vicinity of 'Shimizu 3 chome' upon working on his paintings.
Furthermore, the waterway that originates in the vicinity of this area is called 'Kanaoka Usuikansen (commonly known as Kanaoka-gawa River, or Kanaoka Stream).'