Kanō school
After his father's death in 1590, Mitsunobu became the head of the family and of the school. He took over the Kyoto Imperial Palace project, and continued to receive many illustrious commissions. However, in part due to his poor leadership skills and political ability, he lost many commissions and patrons to the rival Hasegawa school of painting and siblings within the Kanō school. Notably, his adopted brother, Kanō Sanraku, and his son, Kanō Sansetsu, saw a surge of new commissions and helped cement their place within Kanō school history.