Reizei Tamechika (冷泉為恭)
Tamechika REIZEI (October 20, 1823-June 8, 1864) was a painter of reactionary Yamato-e painting (a traditional Japanese style painting of the late Heian and Kamakura periods dealing with Japanese themes) employed by kuge (court noble) and Kugyo (the top court officials) in the end of the Edo period. His name was Shinzo. And Eikyo (永恭). His another name was Tamechika OKADA. His go (byname) was Shinren.
He was talented as a painter and left famous paintings on partitions and Buddhist paintings which were said to be masterpieces in those days.
Brief Personal History
He was born as the third son of Eitai KANO. He used the surname of REIZEI without any permission of the Reizei family, so he had no origin of kuge. In 1850 he was adopted as the heir of the Okada family who was Kurodo tokoro no shu (officials of the Court). Later, he became a valet who served Hisatada KUJO, a chief adviser to the Emperor.
However, since his master Hisatada was Sabaku-ha (supporters of the Shogun), Tamechika was also Sabaku-ha. For this reason, his life was sought by radical sonjo party (royalists) and Tamechika escaped to Kokawa-dera Temple in Kii Province. However, he was severely chased by sonnojoi ha (supporters of the doctrine of restoring the emperor and expelling the barbarians). Although he escaped to Tanba Province through Sakai, he was captured and killed by Gentaro DAIRAKU and others of the Choshu domain. He died at the age of 42.
It is also said that he was killed at Uchiyama Eikyu-ji Temple which was the Jingu-ji Temple (a temple associated with a shrine) of Isonokami-jingu Shrine in Yamato Province.