Calligraphy: One Word Defeats an Army
Sold – no longer available
This piece was a handmade one-of-a-kind work. It cannot be reordered and will never exist in this form again. The page stays online as part of our archive.
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Details about the sold piece
- Height 200 cm
- Width 51 cm
- Item Type Kakemono
- Jikusaki Bone
- Material Honshi Paper
- Period of Creation Shôwa (1926–1989)
- Technique Hand-Painted
- Unique Work Yes
No longer available
Description
With a broad, confident brush, several large characters are arranged in a single column on this kakemono, their powerful, at times merging forms lending the entire composition a remarkable dynamism. The clear arrangement and the generous white space around the characters draw the eye directly to the force of each individual brushstroke.
In essence, the text can be translated as "A single word can defeat an entire army" – a saying that refers to the power of language and the persuasive force of a wise word over brute force. This idea, which was often equally valued by scholars and warriors alike in the East Asian tradition of calligraphy, fits the powerful, almost combative brushwork of the sheet perfectly in terms of content.
The calligraphy was written by hand on paper in the Shôwa period. The hanging scroll has jikusaki made of bone and, with its clear message, is an expressive collector's piece of Japanese calligraphic art.
