{"title":"Kalligrafie","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"kalligrafie-mit-malerei-von-auberginen-otagaki-rengetsu-太田垣蓮月-1791-1875","title":"Calligraphy with painting of eggplants | Ōtagaki Rengetsu 太田垣蓮月 | 1791-1875","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eŌtagaki Rengetsu is an outstanding personality in the women's culture of Kyoto in the 19th century. She was famous as a poet, calligrapher, painter and potter. Rengetsu developed her own style, which, especially in calligraphy, is reminiscent of the Heian-era women's culture of Murasaki Shikibu and Sei Shōnagon (11th century). In her calligraphy, she preferred the hiragana syllabary like her medieval court models. When she used Chinese characters (kanji), she did so in a completely unorthodox and free manner.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e Rengetsu had a life full of hard blows of fate, and so she decided to renounce the world and become a nun. She loved to poetize the simple - her fine ceramics, which (legend has it) she took to the market in the morning to earn food for the day - were often just ash or clay colored. Her painting was also never ostentatious; it usually only served to illustrate her calligraphed poems (tanka). For her calligraphy she always chose a very thin brush, but the trace was always incomparably delicate and elegant.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e The mounting of this summer picture is probably original - it could well date from the time the calligraphy was created. In any case, its simple elegance corresponds to the somewhat rustic quality of the paper base of the picture with its inimitable delicacy of writing and painting.\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e    \u003c\/span\u003eThe poem is loosely translated:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eThere are many (good) fruits (like eggplants) in the world, but I find it even more enjoyable to do good (nasu: both “do” and “eggplant”)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Guignard Kyoto Collection","offers":[{"title":"32cmx157cm \/ Paper","offer_id":49562107642156,"sku":"151210 C4","price":1800.0,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0751\/3092\/9452\/files\/IMG_1290_bc7df715-5036-48fc-b275-a284ef42e457.jpg?v=1723213496"},{"product_id":"kalligrafie-kokochi-wohl-befinden-心地-jiun-onko-慈雲飲光-1718-1804","title":"Calligraphy kokochi “(well-)being” 心地 | Jiun Onkō 慈雲飲光 | 1718-1804","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eJiun Onkō was actually a highly educated Shingon priest, but his interest lay less in esoteric Buddhism than in Zen. Many of his calligraphy works are exemplary examples of Zen. Typical for some of them is a thick, bristly brush, as was used in this calligraphy. On the one hand, Jiun rejects seductive suppleness and elegance, but on the other hand he is forced to combine small sequences of strokes. But this is in keeping with his Zen spirit, which does not bother with small details, but wants to get straight to the essence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e With the calligraphy of kokochi \"(well-being)\", Jiun is probably breaking new ground - this combination of characters is common in colloquial language, but hardly known in calligraphy. The normal use of the term in everyday language is: kokochi ga yoi\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e心地が良い\u003c\/span\u003e, which can be translated as \"well-being\", \"comfort\", etc. Kokochi alone just means \"well-being\" and is rarely used in isolation. Nevertheless, the combination kokochi is actually very telling in terms of content: the first character (on the calligraphy on the right) is \"heart\", and the second character (on the calligraphy on the left) is \"earth\". The combination of characters therefore describes the state when the heart is \"grounded\". In Asia, this is the basis for physical and mental (well-being)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e The character for \"heart\" kokoro\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e心\u003c\/span\u003eis often calligraphed as a single character. But here it seems - at least at first - as if this stroke sequence is already too complicated for Jiun; he designs stroke \u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\"\u003e③\u003c\/span\u003e only as the end of stroke \u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\"\u003e②\u003c\/span\u003e . Normally, when calligraphing kokoro, stroke \u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\"\u003e④\u003c\/span\u003e is painted relatively heavily as the \"end\" of the writing process. But here the brushstroke has almost only a passing character and is as bristly in style as the entire left character for \"earth\" chi\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e地\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWith this “Earth” sign, Jiun allows himself remarkable simplifications: At the beginning, the five individual strokes \u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\"\u003e⑤\u003c\/span\u003e - \u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\"\u003e⑨\u003c\/span\u003e are reduced almost exclusively to dots, because for Jiun the absolutely most important stroke is the final stroke \u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\"\u003e⑩\u003c\/span\u003e , with which he\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003esums up the combination of characters with great pleasure. What is more, the “heart” lies almost like in a cradle on \u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\"\u003e⑩\u003c\/span\u003e , and at first glance one thinks that the last line of “heart”, the number \u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\"\u003e④\u003c\/span\u003e ,\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003ea continuation of No. \u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\"\u003e⑩\u003c\/span\u003e , which is certainly not the case.\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e   \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eBut this gives Jiun's change to heart calligraphy a special ambiguity: the integration of line \u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\"\u003e③\u003c\/span\u003e into line \u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\"\u003e②\u003c\/span\u003e mentioned above was painted with a brush that was still heavily saturated with ink, so that lines \u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\"\u003e①\u003c\/span\u003e - \u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\"\u003e③\u003c\/span\u003e are immediately similar to the character for human being hito\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e人\u003c\/span\u003e. This nuance creates a feeling of a soft embeddedness not only of the heart, but of the whole person. This is the basic feeling that is important to the Zen priest: the whole person should become one with the earth, he must feel spiritually (\"heart\") protected by it. Only then can he himself become a part of the world as a whole.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Guignard Kyoto Collection","offers":[{"title":"75cmx120cm \/ Paper","offer_id":49562153189676,"sku":"230510 CE4","price":6800.0,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0751\/3092\/9452\/files\/IMG_1315.jpg?v=1723214977"},{"product_id":"kalligrafie-kiefer-alt-ruhe-wolke-kozuki-tesshu-神月徹宗-1879-1937","title":"Calligraphy “Pine, old, calm, cloud” | Kōzuki Tesshū 神月徹宗 | 1879-1937","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe name of this Rinzai Zen priest is also read as Kōgetsu instead of Kōzuki. He came from Hyōgo Prefecture and became administrative head (\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\" lang=\"EN-US\"\u003e管長\u003c\/span\u003e)\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\" lang=\"EN-US\"\u003e　\u003c\/span\u003eof Myōshinji in Kyoto and was for a time rector of Hanazono University.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e His calligraphy style is very reminiscent of the great calligrapher Jiun Onkō (1718-1804). He was therefore also called \"Jiun of the Taishō period (1912-1926)\". Like Jiun, he uses a thick, deliberately inelegant brush in this calligraphy. He obviously writes the entire calligraphy with one brush - saturated only once. It is also clear that he never stopped and started again, but wrote all four characters in a single stroke.\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e    \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n \u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe four characters mean “pine”\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\" lang=\"EN-US\"\u003e松\u003c\/span\u003e, “old”\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\" lang=\"EN-US\"\u003e老\u003c\/span\u003e, “cloud”\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\" lang=\"EN-US\"\u003e雲\u003c\/span\u003e, “calm\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\" lang=\"EN-US\"\u003e閑\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\"\u003e”\u003c\/span\u003e . The Zen saying could be interpreted as follows:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n \u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\"\u003e\"\u003c\/span\u003e Just as the old pine tree radiates peace, one feels peace when looking at the cloud.\" But a more nuanced interpretation is also conceivable: Since pine trees live to a very old age and are always green, they are a symbol of longevity and permanence. But clouds, which are an extreme contrast to pine trees in their appearance and therefore a symbol of constant change, also submit to the laws of nature - the wind and the weather; they never disappear, because they are always being recreated.\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eBoth existences, as contrary as they are in their “aggregate state”, fill us with peace when we look at them, because they both convey a feeling of eternity in their own way.\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e    \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n \u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe rhythm of the character design is impressive: at the beginning, the pine tree is clearly visible, standing there immovably, while the third character, the cloud, is greatly simplified and appears almost \"misshapen\". Then, for the end of the line, the calligrapher needs a base with which he can ground the column of writing, so to speak, and so he \u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\" lang=\"EN-US\"\u003earches\u003c\/span\u003e the character for \"peace\" particularly strongly with the remaining ink and takes his time for the last, well-formulated detail of this \u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\" lang=\"EN-US\"\u003echaracter\u003c\/span\u003e .\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Guignard Kyoto Collection","offers":[{"title":"48cmx189cm \/ Paper","offer_id":49692813295916,"sku":"140125 CE3 (k)","price":1800.0,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0751\/3092\/9452\/files\/IMG_1518.jpg?v=1724768189"},{"product_id":"kalligrafie-mandala-nichiren-日蓮-1222-1282-mitte-19-jh","title":"Calligraphy Mandala | Nichiren 日蓮 (1222-1282) | Mid 19th century","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe founder of the sect Nichiren from the 13th century has had a large following up to the most recent times (Sōka Gakkai). He is probably so famous because the element of trance has been central to his religious practice for centuries. For a believer, it is enough to praise the wisdom of the Lotus Sutra for fifteen minutes with the opening words: \"Namuyōhō rengekyō\" and to purify oneself spiritually through the rhythm of this prayer phrase.\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e   \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n \u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eBelievers in other Buddhist sects look intensively at figurative and geometric mandalas, which allow them to experience a heavenly world. Since, despite extensive textual studies, the Nichiren sect does not seek to fill ordinary believers with religious images or detailed texts, the more or less canonized mandala of the Nichiren sect is a calligraphy with dozens of repetitions of a few lines of text from the Lotus Sutra - just as the believer recites them.\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e    \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe small, precious mandala can only be dated based on the dark blue paper that bears the lines calligraphed in gold. This intense dark blue was achieved by dyeing it dozens of times with indigo. The dyeing process must have been extremely laborious - in terms of time and money. This is probably why it has not been practiced since the second half of the 19th century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n \u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAlso valuable is the mounting with a finely woven silk fabric, which probably dates from the first half of the 19th century. These two aspects allow an approximate dating of the scroll painting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e The calligraphy can be read (at least in part), but it must be aesthetically understood in its overall rhythm. You must be able to enjoy the elegance of the groupings of lines and understand the long threads of the characters' strokes as a musicalization of the lettering. Because it is always about sounds, about vibrations that can take you to a higher state of consciousness.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Guignard Kyoto Collection","offers":[{"title":"30cmx61cm \/ Paper","offer_id":49692965077292,"sku":"210923 E4","price":2800.0,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0751\/3092\/9452\/files\/IMG_1564.jpg?v=1724770542"},{"product_id":"kotobuki-kalligrafie-mit-vogel-壽-koreanisch-anonym-19-jh","title":"Kotobuki calligraphy with bird 壽 | Korean anonymous | 19th century","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e Korean calligraphy from the 19th century (and earlier) is rarely available in stores. The calligraphy style of this scroll painting has something folksy about it with its cliché-like nature. The bird on the left is just a cipher, as it were, of a similar kind that is often found in the painting of ceramic vessels. What is exciting, however, is the juxtaposition of this bird formula with the highly artistic and sophisticated lettering of the symbol for \"long life\" (kotobuki in Japanese).\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\" lang=\"EN-US\"\u003e壽\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n \u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIf you analyse this character, i.e. if you break it down into its six different parts,\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\" lang=\"EN-US\"\u003e士、つ、工、一、口、寸,\u003c\/span\u003e you quickly realise how difficult it is to achieve the goal of capturing all the parts in a single breath and brush stroke. But other paintings in this style also show that Korean calligraphers never had any qualms about shortening a character, leaving out parts or developing it with free imagination. There are paintings of \"100 kotobuki\" (as if they were grandiose congratulations) in which the same character is varied beyond recognition. The character is suddenly a group of birds, then a bamboo grove, or a bouquet of flowers, etc. - almost anything is possible. Such a display of boundless imagination seems to me to be typical of non-academic Korean art.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n \u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIf you are familiar with Japanese art from all centuries, the colors of this painting are at least as pleasing and refreshing as this specific approach to calligraphy. The wonderful dark blue, one might call it \"Prussian blue\", was first known in Japan in the 19th century in woodcut art. It is not present in painting (with the possible exception of Shiba Kōkan).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e The almost faded pink is also enchanting - and all of this on a wonderfully \"dirty\" looking background, which is more than just a basis for the picture, but is full of life with all its impurities.\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e    \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe picture was remounted in Japan. Some of these calligraphies exist only as loose sheets and are often in a deplorable condition. A dark green was cleverly chosen here, which is rarely used in Japan, but which fits all the more convincingly with the color scheme of this calligraphy.\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Guignard Kyoto Collection","offers":[{"title":"56cmx170cm \/ Paper","offer_id":49693150478636,"sku":"220708 AH4","price":2800.0,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0751\/3092\/9452\/files\/IMG_1628.jpg?v=1724773293"},{"product_id":"kalligrafie-erleuchtungsschrei-katsu-喝-asahina-sogen-朝比奈宗源-signiert-mit-圓覚別峰-1881-1979","title":"Calligraphy “Enlightenment Cry” katsu 喝 | Asahina Sōgen 朝比奈宗源 signed 圓覚別峰 | 1881-1979","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eKatsu, which is referred to here as \"enlightenment cry\", is an important physical element in Zen meditation. A spontaneous, loud cry should help the meditator to concentrate - a lightning-like muscle contraction of the lungs and an acoustic shock should create a spiritual sense of presence that is so important for meditation. This technique came to Japan with the Rinzai school in the 12th century. The patriarch of this sect, Linji Yixuan (Japanese Rinzai Gigen), is usually depicted in this state of ecstatic crying (see image quote).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e In Japan, katsu spread to many other areas in the form of kakegoe; this shouting technique is also known in most budō disciplines such as kendo or kempō, etc. In Nō theatre, such shouts were even incorporated into the musical texture and are essential for achieving the highest level of concentration.\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAsahina Sōgen was a respected priest of the Rinzai school. He was an influential author and is famous as a calligrapher. He chose a brush for this character that appears bristly in the stroke, so as not to give the impression of false suppleness, because the practice and expression of katsu is close to the animalistic, uncivilized. Elegance and virtuoso flair can only be discovered in this calligraphy in the small accompanying characters of the signature with his priestly name\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\" lang=\"EN-US\"\u003e圓覚別峰\u003c\/span\u003eEnkaku Beppō on the left.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e The mount is made of paper (which Zen monks value more than silk anyway), but its quality will elicit an expression of delight from any connoisseur of mounts. It is original and could not be redesigned today. And it doesn't need to be, because it is in first-class condition.\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e    \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Guignard Kyoto Collection","offers":[{"title":"65cm x 112cm \/ Paper","offer_id":54077383442817,"sku":"160513 EE3","price":2800.0,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0751\/3092\/9452\/files\/IMG_2770.jpg?v=1740598420"},{"product_id":"reisebericht-triptychon-eines-monchs-旅の報告-tamada玉駄-unbekannt-1767-dat-1831","title":"Travelogue Triptych of a Monk | Tamada (unknown) | 1767-? (dated 1831)","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: DE;\" lang=\"DE\"\u003eThis is probably the most idiosyncratic calligraphy in the Guignard Kyoto Collection. It is a travel or pilgrimage account by a monk who wanted to capture all the rich impressions of the places he visited. He even painted a portrait of himself, revealing his wit with a barely perceptible twinkle in his eyes. His priestly name is Tamada. The first character, \u003ci\u003etama,\u003c\/i\u003e means \"jewel,\" while the second is best known in the combination \u003ci\u003edame,\u003c\/i\u003e \"bad.\" But almost all other combinations involving the character \u003ci\u003eta\u003c\/i\u003e also represent something negative. So, in English, this priest might be called \"Wretched Gemstone\" or \"Jewel-Poverty\"—depending on how you look at it, it's not exactly a name that commands respect. Monks often like this excessive modesty.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: DE;\" lang=\"DE\"\u003eProbably no one has ever taken the trouble to read this text. The text panels are 130 cm long, and the lines are set very close together. You can only read it if you squat down in front of the hanging scroll for the lower part. Getting to the beginning of the next line after getting up is problematic...\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: DE;\" lang=\"DE\"\u003eBut how did the monk write? Long formats were usually painted on the floor, but then the scribe had to change position at least four times to write a single line...\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: DE;\" lang=\"DE\"\u003eSo how should we understand this calligraphy? The monk probably didn't intend to communicate effectively. He wrote this account for himself, and although the writing style is very elegant and fluid, he certainly wanted to take his time—he didn't want to rush into writing his precious experiences. The extremely laborious process of writing was probably intended to make him feel the depth of his experiences; and at the end, the entire journey was to be visible as a triptych on a wall—but actually only understandable to him, not to everyone.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'MS Mincho'; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ansi-language: DE; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\" lang=\"DE\"\u003eSo, we're also dealing with a meta-language here: The brushwork is very lively – phases of darker drawings are followed by phases of thin ink. This creates a fascinating, delicate fabric of great textural richness. Only by allowing this to sink in can we, too, experience something of the profound pleasure this monk experienced on his pilgrimage.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Guignard Kyoto Collection","offers":[{"title":"35cm x 190cm \/ Paper","offer_id":54432993116545,"sku":"220120 FA3","price":2800.0,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0751\/3092\/9452\/files\/IMG_3734.jpg?v=1750965510"},{"product_id":"kalligrafie-banzai-万歳-gemalter-kiefer-setzling-mit-schossling-matsumura-goshun-松村呉春-1752-1811","title":"Calligraphy “Banzai” (万歳) painted pine branch with sapling | Matsumura Goshun 松村呉春 | 1752-1811","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eMatsumura Goshun occupies a very important place in Japanese art history. He was a student and later a collaborator of the outstanding painter Maruyama Ōkyō (1733-1795). Together with him, he founded the Shijō School in Kyoto, which shaped the aesthetics of painting in the old imperial capital throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. Goshun is primarily known as a painter, but good painters were usually also excellent calligraphers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThis calligraphy consists of the characters for \"Banzai\" (\"long live\"). The upper character means \"ten thousand\" and the lower \"year(s).\" Goshun also paints a small pine sapling. It has some soft, newly sprouting shoots at the top, meaning \"future potential,\" as the pine is an ancient symbol of \"long life.\" Goshun now translates this real pine branch, with its prickly needles at the bottom and its fluffy young twigs, into calligraphy: He paints the upper character for \"ten thousand\" with a noticeably watery brush to create fluffy contours, and he writes the character for \"years\" with thin strokes that evoke pine needles. He also places the two characters in the lower half of the format, leaving the upper half empty to further suggest \"future\" with this emptiness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAnother wonderful detail is the signature and seal. It is not placed at the left edge of the picture as usual, but is lovingly framed by the calligraphy and the pine sapling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe mount is authentic from the Goshun period and is in very good condition.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Guignard Kyoto Collection","offers":[{"title":"38cm x 178cm \/ paper","offer_id":54595534127489,"sku":"150513 FC3","price":1800.0,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0751\/3092\/9452\/files\/IMG_3765.jpg?v=1762682579"},{"product_id":"zenkreis-osaki-honko-尾崎本孝-1874-1944","title":"Zen circle | Osaki Honkō 尾崎本孝 | 1874-1944","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eOsaki Honkō was a Rinzai priest of the Tōfukuji in Kyoto. He died in the Jikōin in Nara after having devoted considerable effort to rebuilding the Tōfukuji's burned-down teaching hall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003ePainting circles is an important concentration and meditation exercise for Zen monks. The fascinating thing about this discipline is the reduction of the message to a predetermined form. But it is precisely the limitation of means that demands the serious circle painter's utmost attention to every aspect and every detail. The format of the sheet is predetermined, which naturally determines the dimensions of the circle. In this circle, the priest-painter uses the sheet in such a way that there is approximately equal distance to the edge on three sides. This provides stability and anchors the form. In order not to burden the format with too much energy due to the relatively large diameter of the circle, the painter deliberately chose a relatively thin line, which makes the \"emptiness\" that the circle describes particularly palpable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe rather thin stroke also allowed the artist to use the brush with exceptional sensitivity: he begins at 6 (to use the clock numbers as a means of communicating positions within the circle) with little force and only a moderate amount of ink. The upward movement of the brush through 7 to 11 (which does not correspond to a canonized calligraphic movement) frays slightly. This means that the painter has a light arm – he is weighing things up and preparing for the intensity of the downward movement from 12 (which is a normal brushstroke in calligraphy). At 1 and 2, inner emotion clearly begins to displace cool contemplation – the line suddenly drops almost vertically, and thus, from 4 onwards, one senses increasing tension in the thickening line. The ink in the brush is completely used up, and at 5 the brush even trembles excitedly, until at 6, where it touches the deliberate and light beginning of the ink trace, it leaves the paper forcefully. The three characters on the left \u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e喫茶去\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003emean “Let us drink tea” (a traditional zen-phrase).\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Guignard Kyoto Collection","offers":[{"title":"50cm x 122cm \/ Paper","offer_id":54595576037761,"sku":"240107 F3","price":2600.0,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0751\/3092\/9452\/files\/IMG_3781.jpg?v=1762682675"},{"product_id":"kalligrafie-drei-herbstgedichte-fujiwara-karasumaru-fuyumitsu-藤原烏丸-冬光-1473-1516","title":"Calligraphy Three Autumn Poems | Fujiwara (Karasumaru) Fuyumitsu 藤原(烏丸) 冬光 | 1473-1516","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eKarasumaru Fuyumitsu was a nobleman from the Fujiwara family, about whom little is known except for his rank as councilman sangi, and who is only known as an excellent calligrapher.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWhat is special about such courtly calligraphy is that the title of the calligraphy is often found first on the right, followed by the name of the calligrapher; the calligraphy is therefore not signed at the end. The first two lines read:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e秋日同歌三首和歌\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-tab-count: 1;\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-tab-count: 2;\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e参議藤原冬光\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThree poems to be sung in autumn (waka)\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003c\/span\u003eby Councilman Fujiwara no Fuyumitsu (written)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe calligraphed texts are read as follows:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e1st poem:\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e女郎花露\u003c\/span\u003eDew on the golden valerian\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003eいつの秋に結そめてか\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003eをみなへし露もかはらす\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e契をくらん\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIn which autumn did we first forge our bond? \/ The dewdrops on the golden valerian remain unchanged \/ so shall our vow be.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e2. Poem: Melancholy on an Autumn \u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003eEvening\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003eならふにもたへぬ夕の\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e身をしれはなをさりなりし\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e\u0026nbsp; \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e初あきの雲\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eNow I know how hard it will be when the evening comes to an end \/ because I realize, \/\u0026nbsp;that it resembles the (glorious) clouds that dissipate in early autumn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e3. Poem: Love-drunk \u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003ereturn\u003c\/span\u003e in deep night\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003eかへるさをおもふ名残も\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e\u0026nbsp; \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003eふかき夜の袖よりあまる\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e\u0026nbsp; \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003eみち芝の露\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThinking about going home leaves a feeling of melancholy. \/ Even more so than my wet sleeves. Glistens in the deep night \/ the dew on the grass at the roadside.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThese tanka texts perfectly embody the poetic conception of autumn in Japan: melancholy, farewell to a loved one, night scenes. The calligraphic lines do not reflect the five structural lines of poetry (5-7-5-7-7 syllables) – two lines of poetry are combined into one calligraphic line, so that graphically, three three-line poems fill the format, transforming the calligraphy into a form of painting that follows only pictorial principles. In other words, we visually appreciate the flow and delicacy of the strokes, the clusters of lines that arise in Chinese characters, and the courtly elegance of the text's delicate syllable fragments.\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e\u0026nbsp; \u003c\/span\u003eThe calligraphy delights the eye even before one has understood every detail of the text. This aesthetic pleasure is enhanced by the exquisite antique mounting, which features a harmonious floral motif in muted autumnal colors.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Guignard Kyoto Collection","offers":[{"title":"57cm x 115cm \/ Paper","offer_id":54959347499393,"sku":"151219 AGF3","price":3500.0,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0751\/3092\/9452\/files\/IMG_4794.jpg?v=1762683569"},{"product_id":"kalligrafie-jeder-tag-ein-guter-tag-higuchi-oyama-樋口尾山-1895-1987","title":"Calligraphy Every day is a good day | Higuchi Oyama 樋口尾山 | 1895-1987","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eCalligrapher Higuchi Oyama is not a Zen priest, but he was fascinated by the seemingly simple saying that many Zen priests calligraphed as a religious maxim. An immediately recognizable detail that we are dealing with a man who virtuously masters the art of calligraphy, but is not a priest, is revealed in the paper he chose. The paper has a fine, slightly relief-like pattern that one initially overlooks. The artist then deliberately chose a thin ink so that the decorative surface texture of the paper would become visible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe calligraphy is not only artfully centered vertically, but the dimensions of the characters are also well-balanced. The third character \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e是 \u003c\/span\u003eand the fourth characters \u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e好,\u003c\/span\u003e are large and elaborate, while the top and bottom characters,\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e日,\u003c\/span\u003e are small. As in corresponding Zen calligraphy, these two characters are written slightly differently. Both mean \"day,\" but the first is essentially missing the lower crossbar—the middle stroke is instead slanted like the two parallel short strokes marked below it, which actually represent a repeating mark (instead of \u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e日日\u003c\/span\u003e, one writes \u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e日々\u003c\/span\u003e ). Given this, the calligrapher writes the middle stroke of the first character at the same slant as the repeating marks below, and with this seemingly restless formulation, naturally intensifies the meaning of \"every day\" or \"day after day.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIn the end, however, Higuchi Oyama adheres to the canonical writing for \u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e日\u003c\/span\u003e, because this is where the entire sentence ends.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Guignard Kyoto Collection","offers":[{"title":"43cm x 188cm \/ Paper","offer_id":54959419687297,"sku":"231104 E3","price":1500.0,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0751\/3092\/9452\/files\/IMG_4835.jpg?v=1762684905"},{"product_id":"kalligrafie-schnee-雪-tenyu-shoko-天祐紹杲-schachtelinschrift-山田義山-1891-1972-abt-des-daitokuji-1586-1666","title":"Calligraphy snow 雪 | Tenyū Shōkō 天祐紹杲, box inscription 山田義山 (1891-1972) Abbot of Daitokuji | 1586-1666","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eTenyū Shōkō was the 169th abbot of Daitokuji Temple in Kyoto. He reached the remarkable age of 80, which was no small feat at the time. Considering this calligraphy in light of the calligrapher's long life, one might conclude that the pronounced calm and composure of this image is connected to a personality blessed with a long life, having led an existence of stability and inner security. Nothing here suggests an impulsive character or unbridled passions—everything is in perfect balance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e The composition of the image follows the tradition of the Chinese Ōbaku school, which had a significant influence on Japanese priest calligraphers in the 17th century: A capital letter serves as the title and often also as the first character of a poem, which is written out in lowercase. Here, the capital letter is the one for snow, and a free translation of the following poem reads: The north wind blows across the lake, carrying with it great snow as if it were a white heron.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e In the Ōbaku school, the symbol for snow was popular in calligraphy. Often, one discovers a certain illustrative quality: the weight of the snow, the softness of a snowdrift, or the solitude of a snowy landscape are expressed through the symbol's position within a format, conveyed by a large, unwritten space, etc. But this particular symbol is painted in the style of the archaic seal script reisho—without illustrative potential, without psychology, without an explicit winter atmosphere. We sense only a profound seriousness in the engagement with the phenomenon of \"snow,\" a seriousness that transcends any narrative intention. And precisely for this reason, this symbol touches us on a fundamental level. The narrative element only comes into play in the poem below, but these symbols are rendered in the \"normal kaisho style,\" which further emphasizes the archaic pathos of the symbol for snow.\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe mount is original (but its exact date cannot be determined with certainty) and is in very good condition.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Guignard Kyoto Collection","offers":[{"title":"30cm x 175cm \/ Paper","offer_id":55019353309569,"sku":"200204 E4","price":2800.0,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0751\/3092\/9452\/files\/IMG_4871.jpg?v=1764155718"},{"product_id":"kalligrafie-kotobuki寿und-fledermaus-kishi-koma-ganku-岸駒-1756-1838","title":"Calligraphy Kotobuki 寿 and Bat | Kishi Koma (Ganku) 岸駒 | 1756-1838","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eKishi Koma is best known as a tiger painter, as he was the first and only artist permitted to study and paint a tiger in the Shogun's garden. He was capable of highly precise, realistic painting, but his signature reveals that a freer, more sketch-like brushstroke better suited his true nature. This is particularly evident in this painting, in the seemingly casual brushstroke of a bat. Bats have a fluttering flight pattern—they can change direction in the blink of an eye. For depicting such a creature in flight, a wild, free brushstroke is very appropriate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e The Chinese word for bat is \"biānfú,\" written with two two-part characters \u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e, 蝙蝠\u003c\/span\u003e. Both character sets begin with the so-called \"beetle radical\"\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e虫\u003c\/span\u003e, indicating that we are dealing with a beetle-like creature. The second part of the first character, \"biān,\" can mean \"friendly, soft.\" The second character, \"fú,\" contains (after the beetle radical\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e虫\u003c\/span\u003e) the character for \"wealth.\" Thus, \"Whoever is well-disposed toward wealth is happy\"—a very Chinese conclusion, and so the bat has been considered a symbol of good fortune since ancient times.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e It is rare to find the character for longevity, kotobuki, combined with the Chinese symbol of good fortune, the bat, in Japanese calligraphy. It is surprising, however, that Kishi Koma, in such a combination with the bat, does not use the old (Chinese-inspired) form of kotobuki (\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e壽\u003c\/span\u003e), which is quite complex and contains many strokes, but rather prefers the modern, simpler version \u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e(寿)\u003c\/span\u003e . This likely stems from the painter's preference for using the brush freely and spontaneously, which could pose problems for the meticulous calligraphic rendering of a character with 14 strokes…\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Guignard Kyoto Collection","offers":[{"title":"45cm x 175cm \/ Paper","offer_id":55019357864321,"sku":"200802 C4","price":1500.0,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0751\/3092\/9452\/files\/IMG_4884.jpg?v=1764155964"},{"product_id":"tanzaku-gedicht-von-fujiwara-no-tameie-藤原為家-1198-1275-gokashiwabara-tenno-御柏原天王-1464-1526","title":"Tanzaku, poem by Fujiwara no Tameie 藤原為家 (1198–1275) | Gokashiwabara Tennō 御柏原天王 | 1464-1526","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eEven during the Muromachi period (1336-1573), emperors primarily performed ceremonial duties. Political power initially rested in the hands of shoguns, who—as the period's name suggests—residered in the Muromachi district of Kyoto. However, by the time of Emperor Gokashiwabara, both the court and the shogunate (following the devastating Ōnin War of 1467-1477) were in dire financial straits; Emperor Gokashiwabara had to wait 21 years until the necessary funds were raised to hold and pay for his enthronement festivities.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eUltimately, however, these economic circumstances, unless they descended into extremes, did not alter the traditional way of life at court. Courtiers and emperors wrote poetry or played music, visited places with blossoming cherry trees in spring and those with red foliage in autumn, and they lived off shrine and temple festivals where their presence was required. For centuries, they cultivated not only their own lifestyle and an elaborate language, but also their own tradition of painting and calligraphy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThis tanzaku (a traditional, fixed-sized piece of sturdy paper – later also cardboard) indicates the high level of literary education of Emperor Gokashiwabara. He calligraphed a poem by Fujiwara no Tameie, which was included in the supplementary volume (!) of an imperial poetry collection (Zoku Shūi Wakashū, 1270):\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e新玉の年は一夜を隔てにて\u003c\/span\u003e\/\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e今日より春と立つ霞哉\u003c\/span\u003eAratama no toshi wa hito yo o hedate nite \/ kyō yori haru to tatsu kasumi kana\u003cspan style=\"mso-tab-count: 1;\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIn English:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOnly one night separates the old year from the new, and already spring mist rises.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe paper is decoratively colored using an ancient technique dating back centuries. Following the lettering slowly with one's eyes, the elegance of a courtly sensibility gradually unfolds from character to character. The intricate Chinese characters (kanji), which are actually quite distinct from the flowing syllabic characters (kana), are all rendered here in a pleasantly fluid, dancing flow of thick to delicate brushstrokes across the tanzaku format.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe old mounting is also remarkable – it may date back to the 16th century. It is striking that the precious silk brocade apparently did not come in large individual pieces – smaller pieces had to be joined together at both the top and bottom to form a wide strip.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Guignard Kyoto Collection","offers":[{"title":"26cm x 146cm \/ Paper","offer_id":55019506401665,"sku":"250710 BB3","price":2500.0,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0751\/3092\/9452\/files\/IMG_4903.jpg?v=1764157081"},{"product_id":"kalligrafie-schnee-雪-ingen-ryuki-obaku-schule-attr-隠元隆琦-伝-1592-1673","title":"Calligraphy snow 雪 | Ingen Ryūki (Ōbaku School) (attr.) 隠元隆琦（伝） | 1592-1673","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"DE\" style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: DE;\"\u003eThis image is a special case, since its correspondence to a calligraphy by this priest in the National Museum in Kyoto (and all the evidence of seals and signature) should actually leave no doubt about its authenticity. Nevertheless, I classify it as \"attributed,\" because one should always be cautious regarding authorship when dealing with famous Chinese calligraphers.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"DE\" style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: DE;\"\u003eIngen Ryūki is the main figure among the priests who fled from China to Japan during the turmoil at the end of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and after some difficulties were allowed to build the Chinese temple Manpukuji near Kyoto and founded the Obaku school of calligraphy.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"DE\" style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: DE;\"\u003eThese priests brought much cultural heritage with them and were therefore highly valued in Japan. A major innovation in their calligraphy was the graphic emphasis on the first character of a phrase, which thus became the title of the entire calligraphy. Here, it is the character for \"snow.\" Since snow is white, other characteristics of snow must be expressed with the ink brush. Here, it is certainly the softness of a blanket of snow, and so the relatively complex character is combined with many individual strokes in one large, harmonious sweep. Although it consists of two parts—upper\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan lang=\"JA\" style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'MS Mincho'; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: DE;\"\u003e雨\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"DE\" style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: DE;\"\u003e, lower\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan lang=\"JA\" style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'MS Mincho'; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: DE;\"\u003eヨ\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan lang=\"DE\" style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: DE;\"\u003e—the brush is not lifted; rather, it is as if the snow unites the \"duality.\"\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e\u0026nbsp; \u003c\/span\u003eDoes this reflect a Buddhist pursuit of overcoming duality?\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: DE-CH;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"DE\" style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: DE;\"\u003eThe text reads: \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black; mso-ansi-language: DE-CH;\"\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"JA\" style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'MS Mincho'; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; color: black;\"\u003e雪\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"JA\" style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black; mso-ansi-language: DE-CH;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"JA\" style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'MS Mincho'; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; color: black;\"\u003e花堆裡鉄心\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"JA\" style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black; mso-ansi-language: DE-CH;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"JA\" style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'MS Mincho'; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; color: black;\"\u003e肝\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ee0000;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black; mso-ansi-language: DE-CH;\"\u003eLiterally: \u003cspan lang=\"DE\" style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'MS Mincho'; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ansi-language: DE; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\"\u003eIn a snowdrift - an iron heart\u003c\/span\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'MS Mincho'; color: black; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ansi-language: DE-CH; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\"\u003eMeaning:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'MS Mincho'; color: black; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ansi-language: DE-CH; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\"\u003e Snow load - the heart remained steadfast\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Guignard Kyoto Collection","offers":[{"title":"64cm x 117cm \/ Paper","offer_id":55323861647745,"sku":"190923 BBH3","price":3500.0,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0751\/3092\/9452\/files\/Schnee.png?v=1770816894"},{"product_id":"kalligrafie-triptychon-langes-leben-jurojin-gluck-寿-寿老人-福-kano-tsunenobu-狩野常信-1636-1713","title":"Calligraphy triptych “long life\/Jurōjin\/happiness” 寿\/寿老人\/福 | Kanō Tsunenobu 狩野常信 | 1636-1713","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-right: 15.0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"DE\" style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: DE;\"\u003eKanō Tsunenobu had “blue blood” from Japan’s most influential painting institution, the Kanō School, which decisively shaped Japanese art history for five hundred years in its many enormous studios. His father, Kanō Naonobu, was a highly respected painter, and his uncle, Kanō Tanyū, with his studio at the beginning of the 17th century, was the flagship of the institution and of Japanese painting in general.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-right: 15.0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"DE\" style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: DE;\"\u003eKanō Tsunenobu became an apprentice to his uncle at the age of 15, as his father had already died in 1650. This also secured Tsunenobu's career, which brought him the highest titles and honors. At the emperor's request, he even executed paintings in the imperial palace, in the Shishinden Hall.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-right: 15.0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"DE\" style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: DE;\"\u003eThis New Year's triptych depicts Jurōjin, one of the Seven Lucky Gods of Japan, in its center. He is shown as an old, wise man, accompanied by the thousand-year-old crane, and leaning on the back of a sacred white stag. In this image, we encounter Tsunenobu as a master of form: the trio is elegantly and effortlessly inscribed within a harmonious circle. The two calligraphic panels framing the lucky god are traditional.\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eCalligraphic variations of the two congratulatory\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: DE-CH;\"\u003echaracters\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan lang=\"DE\" style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: DE;\"\u003e\"Good Luck\"\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan lang=\"JA\" style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'MS Mincho'; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: DE;\"\u003e(福)\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan lang=\"DE\" style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: DE;\"\u003eand \"Longevity\"\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan lang=\"JA\" style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'MS Mincho'; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: DE;\"\u003e(寿)\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: DE-CH;\"\u003e(here in its old form\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan lang=\"JA\" style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'MS Mincho'; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: DE;\"\u003e壽\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"DE\" style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: DE;\"\u003e). One hundred variations of each are presented, some of which have only a very difficult-to-detect formal relationship to the basic character. However, since we have two images before us showing the collection of one hundred variations, we can see that they were developed in parallel. Collections of character variations were probably invented in late Han China, but had already reached a mature form by the Tang dynasty (618-907).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Guignard Kyoto Collection","offers":[{"title":"37cm x 168cm \/ silk","offer_id":55323873214849,"sku":"250421 FG3","price":5200.0,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0751\/3092\/9452\/files\/IMG_5545.jpg?v=1770816691"},{"product_id":"tanz-舞-mai-kalligrafie-sasaki-genryu-佐々木玄龍-1650-1723","title":"Dance 舞 Mai Calligraphy | Sasaki Genryū 佐々木玄龍 | 1650-1723","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eSasaki Genryū was a respected writer and painter. The monumental, confident brushstroke of this calligraphy makes it understandable that the great painter Hanabusa Itchō was fascinated by him and chose him as his teacher.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\"Dancing\" is written in two ways in Japanese. One is \u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e舞う\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003emau \u003c\/em\u003eand the other \u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e踊る\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eodoru\u003c\/em\u003e. \u003cem\u003eOdoru \u003c\/em\u003eis more lighthearted—this term encompasses most folk dances and dances in entertainment districts. \u003cem\u003eMau \u003c\/em\u003eis classical art dance; the term is older as a category. \u003cem\u003eMai,\u003c\/em\u003e therefore, has a much more serious connotation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe small characters on the left are written in the venerable seal script, and the text is a classic congratulatory formula: \u003cem\u003esenshūraku banzai Nanzan kotobuki\u003c\/em\u003e \"Long live the 10,000 autumns in the imperial city of Nara, Long Life.\" This makes it clear that the idea behind this dance symbol refers to the court dance \u003cem\u003ebugaku \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e(舞楽)\u003c\/span\u003e , which has been practiced in Japan since the 8th century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eCourt dancers wear magnificent robes, adopted from or at least inspired by Silk Road culture. The dance itself is generally slow, clear, and unambiguous in its choreography, with many symmetrically balanced movements. The somewhat complex symbol, so dynamically calligraphed here, conveys something of the powerful dance, whose repertoire also includes many victory dances characterized by heroic, warrior-like gestures.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eMany costumes include long trains (see the green overcoat below), and so one is tempted to interpret the long stroke in the calligraphy as an indication of a magnificent train.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe mounting is original; its age is difficult to determine, but it certainly stands out due to its decorative quality, which is surely intended to evoke the colorful robes of the court dancers.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Guignard Kyoto Collection","offers":[{"title":"29cm x 176cm \/ Paper","offer_id":55423306105217,"sku":"220510 CG3","price":2400.0,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0751\/3092\/9452\/files\/IMG_5801.jpg?v=1773672103"},{"product_id":"kalligrafie-雲門云日々是好日-das-wolken-tor-sagt-tag-fur-tag-ist-gerade-ein-tag-den-ich-mag-jiun-onko-慈雲飲光-1718-1804","title":"Calligraphy 雲門云日々是好日 \"Cloud Gate says: Every day is a good day\" | Jiun Onkō 慈雲飲光 | 1718-1804","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eJiun Onkō is probably one of the most renowned calligraphers today (which is also reflected in his market value). There is a magnificent publication \"慈雲尊者　心の書 Priest Jiun\", ed. Yomiuri Shinbun, Osaka 2004, which was published on the occasion of his 200th anniversary of death and makes a significant selection of his calligraphies accessible. The scriptwork on page 75 of this book features exactly the same text as the present calligraphy. Both are characterized by a bristliness in the brushwork, which is the hallmark of this calligrapher; these are not elegant scripts, but eruptions of spirit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe often-calligraphed maxim (which is meant to become a life motto that is not easy to implement): \"Day by day is just a day I like\" is here expanded at the beginning by the words \"The Cloud Gate says\".\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\"Cloud Gate\" is the name of one of the Five Chinese Zen Schools, founded in the 10th century by Yunmen Wenyan. Its characteristic is the intensive use of Kōans, i.e., those illogical sayings that help the meditator to overcome discursivity - which is the most important goal of Zen meditation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHowever, this is only one meaning of \"Cloud Gate\"; the other could poetically simply mean \"breakthrough to true enlightenment\". From a graphic point of view, the second character, that for \"Gate\" 門, is so strongly modified that it only looks like a wisp of cloud つ. The first, actually quite complicated character for cloud 雲, is also extremely simplified. Thus, it seems that the priest-calligrapher probably aimed more at the poetic meaning variant in this calligraphy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHowever, the third character for \"say\" 云 is very clearly formulated, which again brings the first interpretation of the term, i.e., the name of a Zen school, into play... It is certainly conceivable that the intelligent priest wanted to combine both aspects of \"Cloud Gate\" in his calligraphic work.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Guignard Kyoto Collection","offers":[{"title":"28cm x 191cm \/ Paper","offer_id":55775790236033,"sku":"251015 BE4","price":3400.0,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0751\/3092\/9452\/files\/IMG_6672.jpg?v=1780907379"},{"product_id":"hell-und-deutlich-mei-rekireki-明歴々-omori-sogen大森曹玄-rinzai-priester-1904-1994","title":"\"Clear and Distinct\" mei rekireki 明歴々 | Ōmori Sōgen 大森曹玄 (Rinzai Priest) | 1904-1994","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eŌmori Sōgen was a Japanese priest of the Rinzai Zen school. He was head of the Tenryū-ji lineage in Arashiyama and became president of Hanazono University in Kyoto in 1945.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe calligraphic maxim on this hanging scroll is popular amongst Zen priests. Particularly within this spiritual and religious discipline, the call for ‘clarity and distinctness’ (which one associates with notions of logical debate) may perhaps seem surprising at first glance. However, the Zen understanding of clarity and distinctness refers to a mind purified through meditation, which intuitively and instantly recognises the world and existence in their true nature.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe most important character for Ōmori Sōgen in this maxim is the first one:\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e明\u003c\/span\u003e. It is a combination of the sun \u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e日\u003c\/span\u003e and the moon \u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e月\u003c\/span\u003e. Together, these two celestial bodies symbolise brightness. It is surprising, then, that the calligrapher distorts the character so significantly - one might say he renders it „indistinct“. The sun component \u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e日\u003c\/span\u003e looks like a mouth \u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e口\u003c\/span\u003e, and for the averagely educated observer, there is little to recognise of the moon \u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e月\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eYet calligraphy is not, after all, „writing as a means of accurate communication“. Calligraphy aims to transcend the „vehicle of communication“ that a written character represents – not to convey information about a content, but to make it tangible to the mind and soul. Here, the left-hand half represents, as it were, merely an opening from which light suddenly escapes in a strand-like brushstroke. (A note on this strand-like connection: the calligrapher lived in the 20th century and, as an educated person, must have been aware that the moon only shines because it receives light from the sun. Whether he was aware of this whilst practising calligraphy cannot, of course, be verified.)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThrough the deep black arch, we perceive a glow that this black arch - extending almost back to the opening on the left – encloses. Here, the concept of „bright“ is not written using\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e明\u003c\/span\u003e (the sun-moon combination), but is rendered perceptible as a source of light through an empty form.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe considerably more complex character for ‘clear’\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e歴\u003c\/span\u003e is rendered to the left of it in a much smaller size and (despite sweeping simplifications) more unambiguously as a written character. \u003cspan lang=\"IT-CH\" style=\"mso-ansi-language: IT-CH;\"\u003eIts repetition is a commonly used abbreviation in writing: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e々\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"IT-CH\" style=\"mso-ansi-language: IT-CH;\"\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Guignard Kyoto Collection","offers":[{"title":"48cm x 124cm \/ Paper","offer_id":55927436050817,"sku":"230817 H4","price":2400.0,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0751\/3092\/9452\/files\/IMG_6995.jpg?v=1784288456"},{"product_id":"chinesischer-morser-唐臼-seisetsu-shucho-誠拙周樗-1745-1820","title":"Chinese Mortar 唐臼 | Seisetsu Shūcho 誠拙周樗 | 1745–1820","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eSeisetsu Shūcho, also known as Daiyu Kokushi, was a highly respected Zen priest, artist, and writer. He was regarded as a key figure in the reconstruction and revitalization of Engakuji, the second-largest Zen temple in Kamakura.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe subject of the painting is a “Chinese mortar” - a relatively large, long-obsolete tool used to make \u003cem\u003emochi\u003c\/em\u003e rice flour (it is still used today in Bangladesh). The mortar symbolizes the effort a Zen practitioner must exert in striving to pulverize his petty worries until they are nothing more than dust that a gust of wind can blow away. However, working with a Chinese mortar is considered hard labor; often, it even required two workers to operate it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eShūcho, of course, simplifies the depiction of this bulky tool - the mortar bowl itself is merely a circle, and the long crossbar with the mortar head is no more complicated than the character for “one.” It seems significant to me for the parable, however, that the right end of the crossbar becomes thin and stringy like a brushstroke - giving it a light appearance (which makes the left end with the mortar head look all the heavier) - and that this end does not rest on the H-shaped frame on the right. Since the work involved (see photo) consists of pressing down on the beam with the heavy mortar head so that the mortar head then falls into the trough and crushes the rice grains, the tool is depicted here in its state before anyone has performed the work, and thus the painting is also intended to speak directly to Zen practitioners: Without your effort, nothing happens at all, and you must repeat this effort several times with great exertion until you achieve some useful effect - that is, until your petty mental and spiritual trifles crumble to dust.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe mounting responds to the ponderousness of the ancient peasant tool: the yellowish brocade fabrics have weight, the dark blue feels heavy, and the roller attachments are made of stag horn, which does not appear light and pleasing like, say, ivory or high-gloss black lacquer.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Guignard Kyoto Collection","offers":[{"title":"60cm x118cm \/ “Papier”","offer_id":55968214876545,"sku":"151007 AA4","price":2400.0,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0751\/3092\/9452\/files\/IMG_7074.jpg?v=1784807232"},{"product_id":"kalligrafie-diptychon-mongolischer-kalligraf-蒙古王-mongolischer-konig-20-jh","title":"Calligraphy diptych | Mongolian calligrapher 蒙古王 (= ‘Mongolian King’) | 20th century","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThis calligraphy is fascinating because it is full of mysteries. For instance, on the back of the works, on the upper bar, there is an inscription that can be translated as ‘Mongolian King’ (or ‘Lord’, ‘Prince’, etc.). The term appears to be an old one – it dates back to Kublai Khan (1215–1294) and was still in use in the 19th century. Does this reference refer to the author of the text or the name of the calligrapher? Enquiries made to an expert in Mongolian culture, who collaborated on the exhibition on Mongolia at the Rietberg Museum (2025–26), failed to provide any clarification. The GUIGNARD KYOTO COLLECTION also contains another piece of Mongolian calligraphy in the style of the ‘One Hundred Variations on the Character for Happiness’, as was popular in China. From this, one can only conclude that Mongolian calligraphers and painters were, and remain, under the influence of Chinese art to a greater or lesser extent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIf we consider first the Chinese aspect of this diptych (is it actually a diptych, or are these two independently designed calligraphic works of the same composition?), the mounting is certainly strongly Chinese in character: in Japan, the two light-coloured strips on the outer longitudinal edges of the mounting are called \u003cem\u003eminchō\u003c\/em\u003e, meaning ‘Ming-period border’, which simply refers to ‘Chinese strips’.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe seals are barely legible, but in one of them three Chinese characters can be made out: \u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'MS Gothic';\"\u003e長、書、圖\u003c\/span\u003e (“long”, “writing”, “picture”); the fourth is obscured by a brushstroke to such an extent that it remains illegible. It is at least encouraging that these characters, interpreted as ‘long calligraphy’, would at least make sense in the context of these two objects (whether this interpretation is actually correct remains unclear).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIf it is a Chinese or Japanese diptych, the signature lines are usually placed on the outer edges of the panels – here, both are found on the left-hand side.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eEach of the two calligraphic works consists of four characters (in China and Japan, five characters are standard). The most striking feature of this calligraphy is the brush used: it is not tapered to a point, but is cut off horizontally at the front. This naturally produces completely different stroke effects. Interestingly, the characters in the signature are written with a ‘normal’ (Chinese) pointed brush. This suggests that the choice of a brush with a horizontally cut tip was an original artistic decision – not influenced by Chinese models. Some individual characters may appear somewhat harsh, whilst others are full of vigour and possess an enchanting graphic swing and elegance.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Guignard Kyoto Collection","offers":[{"title":"44cm x 188cm \/ Paper","offer_id":55968244171137,"sku":"181017 J3","price":1800.0,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0751\/3092\/9452\/files\/IMG_7061.jpg?v=1784808138"},{"product_id":"kalligrafie-avantgarde-魁-suda-kokuta-須田剋太-1906-1990","title":"Calligraphy ‘Avant-garde’ 魁 | Suda Kokuta 須田剋太 | 1906–1990","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eA \u003cem\u003eshiki\u003c\/em\u003e (usually measuring just under 20 cm x 20 cm) is a somewhat playful form of art presentation. As it is made of cardboard (with a fine gold border), it is an easy-to-handle object – at the very least, it can simply be fixed to the wall, or it can be turned into a wall decoration by placing it in a roll-up picture mount designed specifically for \u003cem\u003eshiki\u003c\/em\u003e (which works like a clip-on frame).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThis \u003cem\u003eshiki\u003c\/em\u003e is monumental, and as it is a major work, it is also magnificent when presented in a frame. Kokuta loves the powerful, almost architectural line; his paintings always possess a force that immediately captivates the viewer. He often seems to force his lines into the format – in contrast to the love of empty space found in traditional Japanese painting by zen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThis symbol of the ‘avant-garde’ is as strong as an iron structure – it brings to mind the paintings of P. Soulages and the iron sculptures of E. Chillida.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIt is strange that the painter is not yet very well known in the West, even though he has become an icon of modern art in Japan.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Guignard Kyoto Collection","offers":[{"title":"(framed) 49cm x 57cm \/ shiki (Cardboard)","offer_id":56273968038273,"sku":"151215 JB3","price":4500.0,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0751\/3092\/9452\/files\/IMG_7773.jpg?v=1789555266"},{"product_id":"kalligrafie-ertragen-nin忍-ein-zeichen-wiegt-1000-goldstucke-auf-gesshu-soko-月舟宗胡-1618-1696","title":"Calligraphy endurance nin 忍 „One character is worth 1,000 gold pieces“ | Gesshū Sōko 月舟宗胡 | 1618 - 1696","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eGesshū Sōko was a Zen priest of the Sōtō sect. In terms of his training, he belonged to the Ōbaku school. This school consisted mainly of priests who had fled China at the end of the Ming period (1368 -1644) and found refuge and a warm welcome in Kyoto. These Chinese monks brought a new style of calligraphy to Japan. One such style involves the depiction of a maxim in which the first character is written very prominently. In principle, the aesthetic appreciation of such calligraphy then focuses primarily on this first character.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHere, it is the character for ‘endurance, perseverance’. The character consists of two parts. The upper part is decisive for the reading ‘\u003cem\u003enin\u003c\/em\u003e’ of the character. Yet I am also intrigued by its meaning: ‘blade’. The lower part of the character means ‘heart’. I cannot say for certain whether the interpretation ‘cutting the heart with the blade’ (i.e. enduring mental and physical pain) is scientifically valid in terms of the character’s etymology, but it is tempting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eCalligraphers, too, are often creative in their interpretation of the composition of character elements – it is not uncommon for them to omit elements if this enhances the brushwork achieved.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIn this image, two additional dots (splashes) have been added in the top right-hand corner. A comparison with another calligraphic example of this character by the same priest, where these dots are absent, seems to support this assumption conclusively. Furthermore, this additional calligraphic example helps to capture the original brushwork of the priest-painter and provides a point of authentication: The lower parts of the character, i.e. the ‘heart’ element, are almost identical.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe Sōtō school, with its strict rules, was the most popular Zen sect amongst the samurai. The concept of ‘endurance’ was particularly important to them; it is central to the mindset of the Japanese knights. In this calligraphy in particular (even more so than in the one consulted), the brushwork in the upper part has a distinctly ‘masculine’ quality, which is more expressive when conveying the idea of a ‘(sword) blade’ than in the elegant, curved character of the comparative example.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Guignard Kyoto Collection","offers":[{"title":"60cm x 120 cm \/ Paper","offer_id":56274018566529,"sku":"241025 AF4","price":3600.0,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0751\/3092\/9452\/files\/IMG_7783.jpg?v=1789556358"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0751\/3092\/9452\/collections\/IMG_7061.jpg?v=1792581531","url":"https:\/\/guignard-kyoto-collection.ch\/en\/collections\/kalligrafie.oembed?page=2","provider":"Guignard Kyoto Collection","version":"1.0","type":"link"}