Dismissed as Elegant Fossils: Konoe Nobutada and the Role of Aristocrats in Early Modern Japan (Japonica Neerlandica)

Konoe Nobutada (1565-1614) was a famous calligrapher and the head of a high-ranking aristocratic family. Nobutada's contributions to the art and culture of Japan have been frequently overlooked, largely because of the common misperception that aristocrats were too outdated., impoverished and powerless to be worthy of discussion. Dismissed as Elegant Fossils seeks to reinstate aristocrats as key players in the competition for political and artistic supremacy by examining Nobutada's calligraphy and painting, his turbulent relationship with Tokugawa Ieyasu and his family's role in marital politics. In addition, the author suggests that Nobutada, like many members of the Kyoto area elite, had numerous practical reasons to oppose Tokugawa rule and therefore would lend cautious support to any effort to overthrow Ieyasu. Although his role is often downplayed by scholars, the primary threat to leyasu came from Toyotomi Hideyoshi's son Hideyori (1593-1615). Nobutada's concern for the outcome of this power struggle is documented in letters that suggest direct involvement. This, and other details of his biography confirm that Nobutada was much more than a spineless effete who passively allowed warriors to determine the destiny of his family.