It appeared that he had once belonged to the Kano School, but since he had extensive knowledge and understood kanbun (Chinese classics), he mastered literati painting and nanga through studying by himself, of the books and sketches introduced to Japan from the Yuan and Ming Dynasties.
一時狩野派にもついたようだが、博学であり漢文を解したことで、伝来した元(王朝)明の典籍・図譜より文人画・南画を独学で会得する。