Mori Sosen (1747 - 1821)

Painter at the latter part of the Edo period.
Patriarch of the Mori school.

Sosen was born in Osaka or Nishinomiya or Nagasaki. (uncertain).
His given name was Morikata, usually called Hachibei.
First, Sosen studied the Kano style painting under Yamamoto Joshunsai.
Though, since Joshunsai died in 1784, Sosen's painting style has changed to the emphasis on realism as he was influenced by Shin Nanbin and Maruyama Okyo.
Sosen was good at painting animals especially monkeys and deer.
People marvelled at the depiction of double coat of animals.
Sosen adopted his nephew Mori Tetsuzan who was one of the Okyo's leading disciples.
Sosen flourished as a painter based in Osaka until he deceased in 1821.
He was buried at the Saifuku-Ji Temple in Osaka.