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Traditional East Asian Calligraphy

Artistic manuscripts featuring traditional calligraphy and illustrations, highlighting cultural significance and historical artistry from Japan and China.

Poems on Fishermen, first half 18th century, Gion Nankai, Japanese, 1677 - 1751, 14 9/16 × 18 1/8 in. (36.99 × 46.04 cm) (image)50 15/16 × 24 1/8 in. (129.38 × 61.28 cm) (mount, without roller), Ink on paper, Japan, 18th century

Epitaph Tablet for Bak Eun (1479-1504), from a Set of 14 Korean. Epitaph Tablet for Bak Eun (1479-1504), from a Set of 14, 1509. Porcelain with underglaze, 9 3/4 × 6 1/2 × 1 in. (24.8 × 16.5 × 2.5 cm). When important individuals died during the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910), they were commemorated in lengthy epitaphs that were inscribed on durable surfaces for posterity. This set of fourteen plaques (we are showing only part of the set) records the biography and family history of a celebrated poet, Park Eun (1479-1504), and even includes examples of his verses. This is an unusually early example of the use of porcelain for preserving epitaphs. Prior to this period, epitaphs were carved into stone. In this early period, iron oxide was used to write the text, whereas later cobalt blue would be preferred. Asian Art 1509

Kaishien gaden = The mustard seed garden painting manual.. Wang, Gai, active 1677-1705. Prints, Illustrations. 1753. Spencer Collection

Weng Sen's poem in running script, 16th century, Wen Zhengming, Chinese, 1470 - 1559, 10 1/4 × 12 1/2 in. (26.04 × 31.75 cm) (image)12 3/4 × 14 1/4 in. (32.39 × 36.2 cm) (mount, bottom half of mount, from fold downward), Ink on paper, China, 16th century, During the Ming period, members of the elite who gained fame for their calligraphy were often equally famous for their achievements in painting. Within elite society, calligraphy was equally admired as painting. It was viewed as quintessential yet functional, rather than as merely an independent visual art form or means of self-expression and cultivation. Many artists in the Ming dynasty were not only good at painting, but also excelled in composing poems and calligraphy. These three arts are known as the sanjue, or the 'Three Perfections.' Both Wen Zhengming and Zhu Yunming are regarded as great masters with skills of the 'Three Perfections.'

Edo, Ikku, Jippensha, Text, Pages 32 and 33 of part one of Utamaro`s book: Events in the pleasure houses during the year., page, prints, pictures, Japan (collection), height 224 mm, width 158 mm, Japanese, 1765 - 1831, writer, 1804 - 1804, first quarter 19th century, paper, woodblock print

Samyutagama Sutra, chapter 25, from the Jinsushan Tripitaka datable to 1060s-1080s Unidentified artist Sutra writing developed its own distinctive tradition of regular script in which individual characters retained the squat, fleshy proportions and compact strokes of early clerical script. In this scroll, comprising 325 columns of standard script, the emphatic thickening of vertical strokes also reflects the scribes knowledge of the Tang calligrapher Yan Zhenqing (709-785).Although the scroll is traditionally dated to the Tang dynasty (618-907), a Song date is confirmed by its provenance. The first line of text identifies the scrolls place of origin as the Guanghui Monastery, a Chan (Zen) Buddhist temple in Zhejiang Province noted for its fine handwritten sutras and high-quality paper. The temple was renamed Guanghui (“boundless kindness”) in 1008, so the scroll cannot date before that year. Since Yan Zhenqings style was especially popular during the early Song, the scroll may be da

Waka Poetry, second half 18th century, Ryū Kōbi, Japanese, 1715 - 1792, 9 11/16 × 11 11/16 in. (24.61 × 29.69 cm), Ink on paper, Japan, 18th century

Kaishien gaden = The mustard seed garden painting manual.. Wang, Gai, active 1677-1705. Prints, Illustrations. 1753. Spencer Collection

Foreword for the series A hundred aspects of the Moon., Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, 1885 - 1892 print Eight columns with Japanese calligraphy text, in a red frame. paper color woodcut letters, alphabet, script Japan

Calligraphy in Running Script, 1817, Kasai Inze, Japanese, 1764 - 1823, 10 3/4 × 12 3/4 in. (27.31 × 32.39 cm), Ink on paper, Japan, 19th century

Poem which Accompanies a Ceremonial Robe Japan. Poem which Accompanies a Ceremonial Robe. Japan. Handscroll; ink on paper. Edo period (1615-1868). Calligraphy

Kaishien gaden = The mustard seed garden painting manual.. Wang, Gai, active 1677-1705. Prints, Illustrations. 1753. Spencer Collection

Frontispiece to Thirty-six Views of Mt.Fuji, 1859, 6th lunar month, Unknown Japanese; Publisher: Tsutaya Kichizō, 14 3/8 × 9 11/16 in. (36.5 × 24.6 cm) (image, vertical ōban), Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper, Japan, 19th century

Text, 1804 Pages 46 and 47 of part one of Utamaro`s book: Events in the pleasure houses during the year. Or paper

Kaishien gaden = The mustard seed garden painting manual.. Wang, Gai, active 1677-1705. Prints, Illustrations. 1753. Spencer Collection

Kaishien gaden = The mustard seed garden painting manual.. Wang, Gai, active 1677-1705. Prints, Illustrations. 1753. Spencer Collection

No Footprints, first half 18th century, Gion Nankai, Japanese, 1677 - 1751, 7 1/2 × 18 in. (19.05 × 45.72 cm) (image)40 15/16 × 19 1/8 in. (103.98 × 48.58 cm) (mount, without roller), Ink on paper, Japan, 18th century

Epitaph Tablet for Bak Eun (1479-1504), from a Set of 14 Korean. Epitaph Tablet for Bak Eun (1479-1504), from a Set of 14, 1509. Porcelain with underglaze, 9 1/2 × 6 3/8 × 1 1/8 in. (24.1 × 16.2 × 2.9 cm). When important individuals died during the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910), they were commemorated in lengthy epitaphs that were inscribed on durable surfaces for posterity. This set of fourteen plaques (we are showing only part of the set) records the biography and family history of a celebrated poet, Park Eun (1479-1504), and even includes examples of his verses. This is an unusually early example of the use of porcelain for preserving epitaphs. Prior to this period, epitaphs were carved into stone. In this early period, iron oxide was used to write the text, whereas later cobalt blue would be preferred. Asian Art 1509

Kyoto, Yamada Naosaburo, Sekka, Kamisaka, Momoyogusa, vol. 1, Flowers of a Hundred Worlds, Colophon, verso - stamped, Colophon of volume 1 of the album Momoyogusa. Center: Kamisaka Sekka, Unsodo. Center bottom: Publisher's stamp Unsodo. Center right: Meiji 42, fifth month, fifth day (1909-05-05). The colophon follows the last of the 20 prints., print, prints, Japan (collection), height 301 mm, width 462 mm, Japanese, 1866 - 1942, print maker, 1909-05-05 - 1909-05-05, first quarter 20th century, paper, woodcut, Publication (Event), Publication, publisher

Landscape in the Style of Ancient Masters: colophon by Lu Hui, dated 1912. Lan Ying; Chinese, 1585-c. 1664. Date: 1637-1647. Dimensions: 31 × 40.7 cm (12 × 16 in.). Album leaf; ink and colors on paper. Origin: China. Museum: The Chicago Art Institute, Chicago, USA.

Chinese tongue diagnosis diagram: 'Black within' tongue

Letter Shiba Sonome Japanese 1696 This letter in the hand of female haiku poet Shiba Sonome has been lovingly preserved in a mounting fashioned from gorgeous brocade silks of a womans kimono attesting to the reverence held by afficionados of her poetry through the ages.Though informally brushed, Sonomes elegant handwriting still betrays her excellent training in calligraphy as a daughter of a Shinto priest who served at Ise Shrine, and who later became the wife of a doctor. The full content of the letter and who it was addressed to still need to be deciphered, but the random list of subjects on the right, including both place namessuch as Shgakuin Imperial Villa in Kyotogives the impression of being a list of poetry topics she has sent to a fellow poet.Sonome in 1690 became a disciple of the famous haiku poet Matsuo Bash (1694) when he was near the end of life, though the surviving correspondence between them demonstrates the deep literary and spiritual connection they shared. Sonomes

secret code dancing men

Section with text. Nagasawa, Shigetsuna. 1612. Spencer Collection

Scroll 1, scene 22. text. Illustrations, Manuscripts. 1600 - 1625. Spencer Collection

Epitaph Tablet for Bak Eun (1479-1504), from a Set of 14 Korean. Epitaph Tablet for Bak Eun (1479-1504), from a Set of 14, 1509. Porcelain with underglaze, 9 3/8 × 6 1/8 × 1 3/8 in. (23.8 × 15.6 × 3.5 cm). Asian Art 1509

Epitaph Tablet for Bak Eun (1479-1504), from a Set of 14 Korean. Epitaph Tablet for Bak Eun (1479-1504), from a Set of 14, 1509. Porcelain with underglaze, 9 1/2 × 6 1/2 × 1 in. (24.1 × 16.5 × 2.5 cm). When important individuals died during the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910), they were commemorated in lengthy epitaphs that were inscribed on durable surfaces for posterity. This set of fourteen plaques (we are showing only part of the set) records the biography and family history of a celebrated poet, Park Eun (1479-1504), and even includes examples of his verses. This is an unusually early example of the use of porcelain for preserving epitaphs. Prior to this period, epitaphs were carved into stone. In this early period, iron oxide was used to write the text, whereas later cobalt blue would be preferred. Asian Art 1509

Li Bai's Poem. Date/Period: 1093. Ink on paper. Width: 111.1 cm. Height: 34 cm. Author: Su Shi.

The Way Compels Frugality, 19th century, Nangan Seisui, 9 1/4 × 19 in. (23.5 × 48.26 cm), Ink on paper, Japan, 19th century

Text, 1804 Seventh and eighth text page of part two of Utamaro`s book: Events in the pleasure houses during the year. Or paper

Epitaph Tablet for Kim Gyehui (1526-1582), from a Set of 8 Korean. Epitaph Tablet for Kim Gyehui (1526-1582), from a Set of 8, ca. 1582. Porcelain with underglaze, 9 5/8 × 7 1/16 in. (24.5 × 18 cm). Asian Art ca. 1582

Preface, 1790 First and second page from the book Fugenzo by Utamaro. Sticked: a handwritten note from the collector Edmond de Goncourt. Or paper

Japan, Fan series with accompanying prints, New Year's game, in which a fan is thrown at an object on a table. With an accompanying text to the 'throwing fan'., print, prent, prints, Japan (collection), height 72 mm, width 137 mm, print maker, printmaker, 1850 - 1860, second quarter 19th century, paper, colour woodcut

Kaishien gaden (The Mustard Seed Garden Painting Manual), 1753, by Wang Gai (active 1677-1705), Kyoto. Woodcuts

Three poems from the Collection of Poems Ancient and Modern (Kokin wakash), known as the “Imaki Fragment” (Imaki-gire) 12th century Fujiwara no Norinaga By the 1100s, many courtiers and court ladies of the palace were inscribing kana calligraphy with a firmer brush compared to previous generations. Traditionally, the inscription of these poems was attributed to the courtier Asukai Masatsune (1170-1221), but modern scholarship has securely identified it as by Norinaga, the brother of Masatsune’s grandfather, helping to establish a more solid framework of how kana writing styles evolved.. Three poems from the Collection of Poems Ancient and Modern (Kokin wakash), known as the “Imaki Fragment” (Imaki-gire). Fujiwara no Norinaga (Japanese, 1109-1180). Japan. 12th century. Page from a booklet, mounted as hanging scroll; ink on paper. Heian period (794-1185). Calligraphy

Bandings and Pijl, Anonymous, 1850 - 1860 print Bannels and the shaft of an arrow, with a lurking text with the 'military fan'. paper color woodcut banner, standard (as symbol of the state, etc.). archer's weapons: arrow. oriental ideographic script (Chinese, Korean, Japanese)

C15 Chinese medical primer: Correlations of the pulses

Edo, Ikku, Jippensha, Preface, Second and third text pages of part one of Utamaro's book: Events in the pleasure houses during the year., page, prints, engravings, Japan (collection), height 224 mm, width 158 mm, Japanese, 1765 - 1831, writer, 1804 - 1804, first quarter 19th century, paper, woodcut

Couplet on pond scenery. Artist: Attributed to Emperor Xiaozong (Chinese, 1127-1194; r. 1163-89). Culture: China. Dimensions: 9 x 9 5/8 in. (22.9 x 24.4 cm). Date: ca. 12th century.The individual brush mannerisms of this couplet, though stylistically related to the calligraphy of Emperor Gaozong (1107-1187), to whom it has traditionally been attributed, compare most closely with those found in Eulogy on Calligraphy by Gaozong's son, Xiaozong. This attribution is supported by the fan's three-character dedication to Zhao Zhizhong, a eunuch in Xiaozong's service. The imperial seal impressed over the dedication that reads "Treasure of imperial writing," as well as the unequal spacing between characters in the right-hand line, a feature that reveals a degree of spontaneity in execution unlikely from a scribe, further corroborate the conclusion that this piece is from the emperor's own hand.The couplet describes the stillness of a pond at evening:Above the pond, a thin mist envelops the

Collection of modern fast drawings - Summer, 1916 book Part two (of four); white cover with image of flowering trees; At the top left in black the title; Red wrapper; 36 sheets: first page, title page; two pages, preface; three pages, table of contents; 31 performances of people and landscapes in the summer; two pages, afterword; Inside cover, colophon. paper color woodcut

Calligraphy, Lieh Tzu, Yang-chu Chapter Kojima Soshin. Calligraphy, Lieh Tzu, Yang-chu Chapter, 1651. Handscroll; ink, color, and gold on paper, 11 3/8 x 322 in. (28.9 x 817.9cm). Asian Art 1651

Calligraphy: Spring Poem. Nanzan Koryō (Japan, 1756-1839). no date. Drawings; calligraphy. Hanging scroll; ink on paper

Umewaka-Maru Emaki, 1601 - 1700

On the Seventeenth Day 13th century rubbing of a 4th century text Wang Xizhi Chinese Most personal correspondence was written in an informal form of clerical script known as cursive clerical (caoli) or draft cursive (zhangcao). In this script type, which originated as an abbreviated form of writing used in drafting manuscripts, individual characters are simplified, with some brushstrokes omitted and others linked in fluid, continuous lines. By the fourth century, such informal writings by known authors, originally viewed as a heterodox debasement of the orthodox clerical manner, became cherished for their expressive individuality.Original manuscripts by the "calligraphy sage" Wang Xizhi and other early masters were already rare in the early Tang dynasty (618-907), when a major effort to collect and authenticate Wang's writings was sponsored by the imperial court. To preserve and propagate these precious writing models, precise tracings were made, as were stone or wood-carved reproducti

Poem by Ki no Tsurayuki (ca. 872-945) on Decorated Paper with Cherry Blossoms. Artist: Ogata Soken (Japanese, 1621-1687). Culture: Japan. Dimensions: Image: 8 3/8 × 7 11/16 in. (21.2 × 19.5 cm)Overall with mounting (a): 41 1/4 × 12 1/2 in. (104.8 × 31.7 cm)Overall with knobs (a): 41 1/4 × 14 1/4 in. (104.8 × 36.2 cm). Date: mid- to late 17th century.Ogata Soken headed a wealthy Kyoto merchant family that specialized in textiles, had close ties to the palace, and helped revive traditional Japanese arts in early eighteenth-century Kyoto. His crisp, elegant, and dynamic calligraphy shows indebtedness to the style of Hon'ami Koetsu, who had revolutionized the art of brush writing in the early seventeenth century. Here, Soken transcribed a waka (31-syllable court verse) by Ki no Tsurayuki and--to add an unexpected twist--included the poet's name in the middle of the composition. It reads: Hana no ka ni koromo wa fukaku nari ni keri Tsurayuki ko no shita kage no kaze no ma ni ma ni The scent

FRAMGENT ISHIYAMA-GIRE. Date/Period: 1100/1200. Author: Fujiwara-no-Sadanobu.

Kaishien gaden = The mustard seed garden painting manual.. Wang, Gai, active 1677-1705. Prints, Illustrations. 1753. Spencer Collection

Paediatric finger diagnosis chart: 'Curled Worm' vein pattern

Wrist pulse diagnosis table for zang and fu viscera, Chinese

Calligraphy. Artist: Unidentified Artist; After Zhou Tianqiu (Chinese, 1514-1595). Culture: China. Dimensions: 6 7/8 x 21 1/4 in. (17.5 x 54.0 cm). Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Epitaph Tablet for Yi Munseong (1503-1575), from a Set of 7 Korean. Epitaph Tablet for Yi Munseong (1503-1575), from a Set of 7, circa 1579. Porcelain with underglaze, 9 7/16 × 7 7/8 in. (24 × 20 cm). Asian Art circa 1579

Two Autumn Poems, second half 18th century, Ike (Tokuyama) Gyokuran, Japanese, 1727 - 1784, 6 1/4 × 15 5/8 in. (15.88 × 39.69 cm) (image)36 13/16 × 16 11/16 in. (93.5 × 42.39 cm) (mount, without roller), Ink on paper, Japan, 18th century

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Edo, Ikku, Jippensha, Text, Pages 42 and 43 of part one of Utamaro`s book: Events in the pleasure houses during the year., page, prints, pictures, Japan (collection), height 224 mm, width 158 mm, Japanese, 1765 - 1831, writer, 1804 - 1804, first quarter 19th century, paper, woodcut

Epitaph Tablet for Bak Eun (1479-1504), from a Set of 14 Korean. Epitaph Tablet for Bak Eun (1479-1504), from a Set of 14, 1509. Porcelain with underglaze, 9 3/8 × 6 3/8 × 1 1/4 in. (23.8 × 16.2 × 3.2 cm). When important individuals died during the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910), they were commemorated in lengthy epitaphs that were inscribed on durable surfaces for posterity. This set of fourteen plaques (we are showing only part of the set) records the biography and family history of a celebrated poet, Park Eun (1479-1504), and even includes examples of his verses. This is an unusually early example of the use of porcelain for preserving epitaphs. Prior to this period, epitaphs were carved into stone. In this early period, iron oxide was used to write the text, whereas later cobalt blue would be preferred. Asian Art 1509

Epitaph Tablet for Mok Seoheum (1571-1652), from a Set of 11 Korean. Epitaph Tablet for Mok Seoheum (1571-1652), from a Set of 11, ca. 1652. Porcelain with underglaze, 10 1/16 × 7 1/2 in. (25.5 × 19 cm). Asian Art ca. 1652

Colophon; Comparisons between beauties and flowers; Bijin Hana Kurabe.

Calligraphy Having Twenty-Two Vertical Lines of Script Jiang Shijie (Chinese, 1647-1709). Calligraphy Having Twenty-Two Vertical Lines of Script, 1644-1911. Ink on folded double page., 11 x 17 1/2 in. (27.9 x 44.5 cm). Asian Art 1644-1911

Preface, from the illustrated book Gifts from the Ebb Tide (Shiohi no tsuto) 1789 Japan. Woodblock print; double-page preface from book . Kitagawa Utamaro

Album with Boards from the Series: Sixty Nine Stages of the Kiso Road /Kisokujukyujukyu TSUGI No Uchi Eisen, Keisai (1790 1848), HIROSHIGE, Ichiryusai (1797 1858)

. Two booklets with an image of water buckets. The image refers to a scene from the Nô-Piece Matsukaze (getting water from the sea). With multiple texts.

Square designs; Shikishi. Two parts (complete); With performances of mainly landscapes and birds in square frames.

Acu-moxa chart: Diagram for locating the Four-Flower Points

Momoyogusa (Chrysanthemum). Kamisaka Sekka (Japan, 1866-1942). 1909/1910. Books. woodblock printed album; ink and colors on paper

Illustrations for a Confucian Text. Korea, Korean, Joseon dynasty (1392-1910), dated 1797. Prints; woodcuts. Woodblock print, ink on paper

Two Poems Shen Shi Chinese. Two Poems 48897

Edo, Utamaro, Kitagawa, Table of contents, The gateway to the Yoshiwara pleasure district, containing the table of contents of Utamaro's book: Events in the pleasure houses during the year (first part)., page, prints, engravings, Japan (collection), height 224 mm, width 158 mm, Japanese, 1753 - 1806, print maker, printmaker, 1804 - 1804, first quarter 19th century, paper, colour woodcut, colour woodblock print

Poems on Wind from Japanese and Chinese and Poems to Sing Horie Yorinao (Tgen) Japanese 1670 This section of a handscroll of Japanese and Chinese Poems to Sing (Wakan reish) was brushed by Horie Tgen (or Yorinao) a celebrated calligrapher of the late seventeenth century who served as local retainer (hanshi) of the daimyo clan that ruled the Marugame fief of Sanuki province (modern-day Kawagawa prefecture) on Shikoku. Even though raised in a samurai household, Tgen practiced jdaiy, archaic script type harkening back to the peak of Heian-period court culture of the eleventh and twelfth century. He then developing his own distinctive handwriting style, as shown here that combines courtly elegancewithout any cloyingand a certain bravado. The underpainting shows highly stylized maiden flowers (ominaeshi). The two poems transcribed here belong a section of the Japanese and Chinese Poems to Sing anthology entitled Wind (Kaze ), and comprises a couplet of seven-syllable Chinese verse, and a si

In October, the Chinese Socialist Youth League, a mass organization of advanced youth formed during the founding of the Communist Party of China created their newspaper "Chinese Youths" in Shanghai. The creator of and first editor-in-chief "Chinese Youth" was Yun Daiying. Chu Xiaonv, Deng Zhongxia, Zhang Tailei, Lin Yunnan, Ren Bishi, and Li Qiushi amongst others have all participated in editing. The editorial office was located in Zhuyili Danshui Road, Shanghai (presently No.4 Alley 66 Danshui Road).

Title page of the series: Kisokaido rokujukyu tsugi-no uchi (69 Stations of the Kisokaido). Utagawa, Kuniyoshi (1798-1861), graphic artist

Calligraphy, Lieh Tzu, Yang-chu Chapter Kojima Soshin. Calligraphy, Lieh Tzu, Yang-chu Chapter, 1651. Handscroll; ink, color, and gold on paper, 11 3/8 x 322 in. (28.9 x 817.9cm). Asian Art 1651

A sake cup. A red rice wine (sake) bowl with one poem.

Book of Humorous Poems Utagawa Kuniyoshi Japanese. Book of Humorous Poems. Utagawa Kuniyoshi (Japanese, 1797-1861). Japan. Ink on paper. Edo period (1615-1868). Illustrated Books

Donguibogam (Principles and practice of Eastern medicine), an encyclopaedia of medical knowledge and treatment techniques. compiled by Heo Jun, a Korean court physician, received a royal command to write a medical book to assist people suffering from famine, during the rule of King Seonjo (1552--1608, reigned, 1567--1608). Heo Jun himself picked the proper medicinal herbs, which were native to the Korean Peninsula. He conducted human clinical trials to test the efficacy of the medicines, and he wrote the names of the herbs in Korean so that the common people could learn them. For ease of use, the contents of the encyclopaedia were divided into five categories Naegyeong (Internals), Oehyeong (Externals), Japbyeong (Various diseases), Tangaek (Herbal juices), and Chimgu (Acupuncture). Donguibogam was disseminated as far as Japan and China and informed the evolution of medicine in East Asia and beyond.

Chinese Ming banknote, China, AD 1375

Scroll II.. 1501 - 1599. Illustrations, Manuscripts. Spencer Collection

Passage from A Modern-Day Wen Xuan: Selections of Refined Literature” after 1705 Morikawa Kyoriku (Kyoroku) ???? This hanging scroll records reflections on Japanese poetry by Morikawa Kyoriku, a samurai of the Hikone clan who was also a noted poet of haikai (seventeen-syllable verse) in the style of Matsu Bash?, and recognized as one of the master’s ten top pupils. The celebrated poet-calligrapher brushed seven columns of highly cursive, somewhat idiosyncratic, but eminently legible characters—mostly kana (Japanese phonetic writing) with an admixture of kanji (Chinese characters) that punctuate the composition with slightly denser forms. For instance, at the bottom of the second column from the right, we see the characters waka no michi ????, or the way of Japanese poetry,” are melded into a column of mostly kana. And as we scan the text elsewhere for easily recognizable phrases, we realize that this is a prose commentary not on haikai, as we would expect, but on waka (courtly verse

Two Poems from the Collection of Poems Ancient and Modern, Continued (Zoku Shoku kokin wakashu). Artist: Traditionally attributed to Nun Abutsu (Japanese, died 1283). Culture: Japan. Dimensions: Image: 9 1/4 × 5 1/2 in. (23.5 × 14 cm)Overall with mounting: 54 5/16 × 11 in. (138 × 27.9 cm)Overall with knobs: 54 5/16 × 13 1/2 in. (138 × 34.3 cm). Date: 13th century.Nun Abutsu (Abutsu-ni), one of the most celebrated woman writers of the age, earned literary fame for her moving account of palace and temple culture in her Diary of the Waning Moon (Izayoi nikki). Before taking Buddhist vows, she served as a lady-in-waiting in the palace and belonged to a circle of talented women writers. While there is no way to verify that this crisp but elegant calligraphy is in her hand, the style is characteristic of kana calligraphy of the era and the elite society in which she lived. Kana calligraphy (used to inscribe Japanese phonetic characters) was referred to as onna-de, or the "women's hand,"

Letter by Yu Shinan (558-638) dated 1637 Wang Duo Chinese. Letter by Yu Shinan (558-638) 49025

Poetry, 1790 Fifth and sixth page Kyoka poems from the book Ginsekai by Utamaro. Or paper

Chats on Novelties of Foreign Lands (Komozatsuwa) 1787 Japan. Chats on Novelties of Foreign Lands (Komozatsuwa). Japan. 1787. Five volumes of woodblock printed books; ink on paper. Edo period (1615-1868). Illustrated Books

Byeonghakjinam, Comprehensive Military Training Manual, Joseon Dynasty, The War Memorial of Korea, Seoul, South Korea, Asia

Smallpox illustration, Japanese manuscript, c. 1720

Epitaph Tablet for Yi Munseong (1503-1575), from a Set of 7 Korean. Epitaph Tablet for Yi Munseong (1503-1575), from a Set of 7, circa 1579. Porcelain with underglaze, 9 7/16 × 7 7/8 in. (24 × 20 cm). Asian Art circa 1579

Text and edge of Ornament, Anonymous, 1725 - 1735 drawing Some rules in the Panjabi, in which the situation of the miniature is described, without it becoming apparent from which story this painting is an illustration. Basohli rand van ornament: paper brush / brush

Book of the Later Han Dynasty, the Southern Song Shaoxing Edition by Fan Ye. Containg the 195-year history from Emperor Guangwu's proclamation (25 years) to Emperor Xian 's renunciation (220 years). Written in 5th century; published in Song Gaozhong's reign era Shaoxing (1131-1162)

Calligraphy Chen Mingxia Chinese. Calligraphy. Chen Mingxia (Chinese, 1601-1654). China. Folding fan mounted as an album leaf; ink on paper. Ming dynasty (1368-1644). Calligraphy

Transmitting the Spirit, Revealing the Form of Things: Hokusai Sketchbooks, volume 14 (Denshin kaishu: Hokusai manga, jyonpen) ca. 1875-78 Katsushika Hokusai Japanese. Transmitting the Spirit, Revealing the Form of Things: Hokusai Sketchbooks, volume 14 (Denshin kaishu: Hokusai manga, jyonpen). Katsushika Hokusai (Japanese, Tokyo (Edo) 1760-1849 Tokyo (Edo)). Japan. ca. 1875-78. Woodblock printed book; ink and color on paper. Edo period (1615-1868). Illustrated Books

Chapter 9 of the Lotus Sutra, early 14th century, Unknown Japanese, 9 × 15 3/4 in. (22.86 × 40.01 cm) (image)43 × 22 1/2 in. (109.22 × 57.15 cm) (mount, without roller), Silk embroidered on paper, Japan, 14th century, The Lotus Sutra teaches that salvation is attainable for all living beings and states explicitly that women may also become buddhas. This straightforward teaching made it one of the most influential Buddhist scriptures and a particularly popular one, especially among women. Very little is known about the early production of embroidered Buddhist sutras like this one. But as most surviving examples are transcriptions of the Lotus Sutra, it is highly likely that women created them. Creating these extravagant sutras, first transcribed in ink and then embroidered with colored silk and lavishly decorated with gold and silver, was an act of devotion. This work is but one small fragment19 lines of a single chapter from a sutra consisting of some 28 chaptersof what must have bee

Poem on Strolling in the Moonlight dated 1543 Wen Zhengming Chinese. Poem on Strolling in the Moonlight 51865

Scroll 3, scene 32. 1650 - 1699. Illustrations, Manuscripts. Spencer Collection

Chinese Materia medica, C17: Plant drugs, Chrysanthemum

Scroll I., 1501 - 1599

Smallpox illustration, Japanese manuscript, c. 1720

Monograms, figures and initials of painters and engravers, Anonymous, in Or Before 1770 - 1771 print Six lines with monograms, figures and initials of painters and engravers. Numbered 1 to 59. paper engraving letter combinations such as letterword, anagram, letter square, monogram, etc.. initial

Calligraphy Lu Yingyang Chinese. Calligraphy 48965

Chinese Materia Medica illustration, Ming: Oenanthe javanica

Folded futon. A folded bed (futon) with blast wood and multiple poems.

Calligraphy. Calligrapher: Gong Dingzi (Chinese, 1615-1673). Culture: China. Dimensions: 6 1/2 x 20 1/2 in. (16.5 x 52.1 cm). Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

secret code dancing men

Ise monogatari = The Tales of Ise,' 1608, by Yoshida Soan (1608-1632), published in Kyoto

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