The Kura - Japanese Art Treasures

Robert Mangold has been working with Japanese antiques since 1995 with an emphasis on ceramics, Paintings, Armour and Buddhist furniture.

EDO p. Japanese CALLIGRAPHY SCROLL, YOKOYAMA MARUMITSU


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Directory: Archives: Regional Art: Asian: Japanese: Pre 1900: Item # 387020

Please refer to our stock # ALR1443 when inquiring.
The Kura
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23 Murasakino Monzen-cho
Kita-ward Kyoto 603-8216
tel.81-75-201-3497
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A beautifully written tea room scroll by 19th century calligraphist and seer/soothsayer Yokoyama Marumitsu (1780-1854) bordered in pale green brocade and featuring bone rollers. The calligraphy is very expressive, dark lines varying dramatically in width as they curl down the wide sheet. The signature line reads A 72 year old man Kiosanjin Marumitsu making the scroll date to 1851 by Japanese age count(Kiosanjin was one of his many literary names). Aside from minor wrinkles (not hard creases) the scroll is in excellent condition, and measures 24-3/4 by 49 inches (63 x 124.5 cm). Born in Edo (present day Tokyo), Marumitsu was actually a bit of a forward thinking individual in his time who believed every person was born with a unique character that was buried over time by societal pressure, and the only way to live happily was to toss out ideas contrary to the inner self, thereby purifying ones true form. He was a proponent of the ancient Chinese art of Tengen-Jutsu, a fortune telling method he studied under Okuno Kiyojiro. My interpretation of the scroll: The middle lines are a bit sparse and difficult to read, however, overall the gist seems to be: Everyone has shame, The original heaven (self?) lies deep within, Gods willing (not in the western sense of god), Fortune will arise, A full life. My interpretation is: We have all a dubious past, but true heaven lies within, and gods be willing, through our own effort, the god within will shine, calling fortune. Allowing a full life. Given the context of the artist, this seems to be an apt work.