Calligraphy Poem by Du Fu
Kakemono, unique work, 170 x 30 cm
Product number:
3639
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 170 cm
- Width 30 cm
- Item Type Kakemono
- Jikusaki Wood
- Material Honshi Paper
- Period of Creation Heisei (1989–2019)
- Technique Hand-Painted
- Unique Work Yes
Sold
No longer available
Description
"Dense forests offer birds a safe refuge for nesting" is the statement of this calligraphy. It is a verse from a poem by the Chinese poet Du Fu, who lived from 712 to 770.
The poem in its entirety reads roughly as follows:
Knowing the order of life is essential
Finding an exception to this rule is delicate
Deep waters offer fishermen a place of pleasure
Dense forests offer birds a safe refuge for nesting
In old age one accepts poverty and illness with reason
Restraining fame and wealth invites disputes
The autumn wind encourages the old to seek serenity
The mountains in the north offer tasty vegetables for a healthy diet
The kakemono is in good condition.
The poem in its entirety reads roughly as follows:
Knowing the order of life is essential
Finding an exception to this rule is delicate
Deep waters offer fishermen a place of pleasure
Dense forests offer birds a safe refuge for nesting
In old age one accepts poverty and illness with reason
Restraining fame and wealth invites disputes
The autumn wind encourages the old to seek serenity
The mountains in the north offer tasty vegetables for a healthy diet
The kakemono is in good condition.
Frequently asked
No – as a one-of-a-kind piece it exists in a single example only.
We would be glad to look for one. Get in touch with the details of the object you are looking for and we will see what we can do.
Because the two pieces of information speak about different things: the period designation describes the object – support, colors, condition – while the signature reflects which name appears on the painting. In most cases there is no attempt at deception behind this, but rather Japanese painting training: copying from workshop models was the curriculum for centuries, an utsushi is regarded as a bow to the teacher, workshops signed with the master's name, and artist names were passed down within a school. Such a hanging scroll is therefore not a forgery, but a hand-painted one-of-a-kind that continues the formal language of its school – just not the work of the famous name, and priced accordingly. We explain this in detail in the guide Why does a kakemono often bear the signature of an artist long deceased?.
