Calligraphy snow 雪 | Tenyū Shōkō 天祐紹杲, box inscription 山田義山 (1891-1972) Abbot of Daitokuji | 1586-1666

Tenyū 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.

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.

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. 

The mount is original (but its exact date cannot be determined with certainty) and is in very good condition.