The son of a poet, Tani studied first with a master of the Kanō school, stressing Chinese themes and techniques, and then with a painter of the Hoku-ga, or Northern school of Chinese art. He also came under the influence of Nan-ga (the Southern school of Chinese art, also known in Japanese as the Bunjin-ga, or “Literati Painting”) as well as of Yamato-e (traditional Japanese paintings of scenes from daily life). He founded a new school of painting called Nanboku gōitsu, or the South and East school, and he introduced the use of Western perspective, a technique further refined by his most famous pupil, Watanabe Kazan. While his technique was outstanding and his knowledge of art considerable, his paintings frequently lack a spontaneous quality. Some of his mature works, especially portraits, are of striking realism. He also produced several art history books.