In the Edo period, eshi were classified as 'goyo-eshi' (an official painter) or 'machi-eshi' (a town painter), and the Kano and the Tosa schools were famous among the goyo-eshi groups, and the Maruyama and the Shijo schools were well-known among the machi-eshi groups.
江戸期の絵師は「御用絵師」と「町絵師」に分かれており、御用絵師では狩野派と土佐派、町絵師では円山派や四条派が有名であった。