three long lines of text; shorter (horizontal?) line of text, LLQ; two tusk-shaped elements with radiating spirals at top and bottom; scalloped lines at top and bottom; cream paper fading at top and bottom to pink tone; seal, LLQ

How Amazing, late 18th - early 19th century

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Sakai Hōitsu is celebrated today as a painter of colorful screens and scrolls, but he was also a haiku poet and calligrapher. On the highly decorated surface of a folding fan Hōitsu wrote a poem about the sound of cicadas in the evening. The continuous movement of his writing is visible in the more strongly brushed Chinese characters as well as the Japanese kana syllables (characters used as phonological units and without individual meaning).

すさまじき / 蝉の羽おとや / かけ行灯
How amazing, / The sound of cicada wings— / Hanging lamp
(Trans. Stephen Addiss)

Details
Title
How Amazing
Artist Life
1761 - 1828
Role
Calligrapher
Accession Number
2013.63.42
Curator Approved

This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

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three long lines of text; shorter (horizontal?) line of text, LLQ; two tusk-shaped elements with radiating spirals at top and bottom; scalloped lines at top and bottom; cream paper fading at top and bottom to pink tone; seal, LLQ