Waka poems from the Collection of Poems of a Thousand Years, Continued

The elegantly brushed calligraphy on lavish decorated paper transcribes a series of classical waka poems from the Collection of Poems of a Thousand Years, Continued (Zoku senzai wakashū), an augmented fourteenth century version of the Senzai shū imperially-commissioned poetry anthology (ca. 1187/8). Inscribed in according to the conventions of chirashi-gaki, or “scattered writing” (with vertical lines of text beginning at different heights), on this silk handscroll decorated with horizontal bands of gold mist and small clusters of flowers and rocks. Brushed in flowing kana (Japanese syllabic characters) interspersed with kanji (Chinese characters), the poetic text is followed by the signature and two seals of Kojima Sōshin, a student of the renowned calligrapher Hon’ami Kōetsu (1558–1637), one of the founders of the Rinpa school. Sōshin’s fluid writing style reflects the influence of Kōetsu in the deliberate contrast of thick and thin brush lines, juxtaposed with strongly brushed Chinese characters.

The subtle underpainting of scattered, delicate floral and rock motifs reflects the aesthetic influence of early Rinpa painters and designers with its use of the tarashikomi technique (allowing pigments and/or ink to pool together); the artist, Ogata Sōken, was one of Sōshin’s pupils and also the father of two of the greatest Rinpa-school masters, Ogata Kōrin (1658–1716) and Ogata Kenzan (1663–1743). In addition to painting he practiced calligraphy, examples of which bear a resemblance to Sōshin’s writing style, and produced the underpaintings for some of his own calligraphic works.