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.

Antique Scroll, Otagaki Rengetsu & Shikiryo, Village in Snow


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Directory: Archives: Regional Art: Asian: Japanese: Pre 1900: Item # 1394444

Please refer to our stock # L115 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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The village lies buried deep in snow, the coldest depths of winter, but as if from snow clouds above, faith in warm days too come flutters down in the words of a poem.
Uguisu wa miyako ni ideshi...Nightingale takes flight for the capital
Yamasato ni.......................In the mountain village
Ume hitori Koso...................A solitary plum
Saki nioi kere....................Blossoms fragrantly
The poem is by Otagaki Rengetsu, written in her distinct cursive script. The painting is signed Saheei Tachibana Shikiryo. Saheei is a title, judging by rank from the Imperial government, the surname Tachibana is related to the Imperial family. Ink on paper in beige silk with lacquered rollers. The scroll is 15-1/2 x 70-1/2 (179 x 39 cm) and is in excellent condition.
Much has been written about the life and work of poet/artist Otagaki Rengetsu. Born into a samurai family, she was adopted into the Otagaki family soon after birth, and served as a lady in waiting in Kameoka Castle in her formative years, where she received an education worthy of a Lady of means. Reputed to be incredibly beautiful, she was married and bore three children; however her husband and all children died before she was twenty. Remarried she bore another daughter, however that child too perished and her husband died while she was just 32. Inconsolable, she cut off her hair to join the nunnery at Chion-in Temple, where she renounced the world and received the name Rengetsu (Lotus Moon). However this was not the end, but only the beginning of a career as artist and poet which would propel her to the top of the 19th century Japan literati art world.