Letter (Calligraphy)
Chūhō Sōu, Letter (Calligraphy), 1807/1836, handscroll mounted as a hanging scroll; ink on paper, Gift of Mary and Cheney Cowles, public domain, 2012.119.1
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- Title
Letter (Calligraphy)
- Related Titles
original language: 消息
- Artist
- Date
1807/1836
- Medium
handscroll mounted as a hanging scroll; ink on paper
- Dimensions (H x W x D)
calligraphy: 6 3/4 x 28 1/2 inches; mounting: 37 1/8 x 31 5/8 inches
- Inscriptions & Markings
collector's mark: 2 collector's seals; as yet undeciphered, interior of box
inscription: 宙寳禅＿消息, exterior of box
- Collection Area
Asian Art
- Category
Calligraphy
- Object Type
hanging scroll
- Culture
Japanese
- Credit Line
Gift of Mary and Cheney Cowles
- Accession Number
2012.119.1
- Copyright
public domain
- Terms
Chūhō Sōu is considered the leading Zen calligrapher of the late Edo period (1615–1868). He served as the 418th Abbot of Daitokuji, one of Japan’s largest and most influential Buddhist monasteries. His bold, direct personality is revealed even here, in the informal medium of a letter. The addressee is unknown.
