Tosa Mitsuoki

Tosa Mitsuoki
土佐光起
Painting of Tosa Mitsuoki by Tosa Mitsunari in the Kyoto National Museum
edokoro azukari, Head Imperial Court Painter
In office 1654–1681
Preceded by	Tosa Mitsunori
Succeeded by	Tosa Mitsunari
Personal details
Born	(1617-11-21)21 November 1617 Sakai, Izumi
Died	14 November 1691(1691-11-14) (aged 73) Kyoto, Japan
Children	Tosa Mitsunari Tosa Mitsuchika
Parent	Tosa Mitsunori (father)

Tosa Mitsuoki (土佐 光起, November 21, 1617 – November 14, 1691) was a Japanese painter.

Tosa Mitsuoki succeeded his father, Tosa Mitsunori (1583–1638), as head of the Tosa school and brought the Tosa school to Kyoto after around 50 years in Sakai. When the school was settled in Sakai, Mitsunori painted for townsmen. The school was not as prolific as it once was when Mitsunobu, who painted many fine scrolls (1434–1525) ran the school. Mitsuoki moved out of Sakai with his father, in 1634 and into the city of Kyoto. There, he hoped to revive the Tosa school to gain status back into the Kyoto court. Around the time of 1654 he gained a position as court painter (edokoro azukari) that had for many years traditionally been held by the Tosa family, but was in possession of the Kano school since the late Muromachi period (1338–1573).