Calligraphy in Sōsho Style

Name: Calligraphy in Sōsho Style
SKU: 5387
Price: 230.00 EUR
Availability: InStock

Kakemono, unique work, 184 x 35 cm

Product number: 5387

Height 184 cm
Width 35 cm
Item Type Kakemono
Jikusaki Wood
Material Honshi Paper
Period of Creation Meiji (1868–1912)
Technique Hand-Painted
Unique Work Yes

€230.00

Available, delivery time: 1-3 Days

Description

Two intertwined characters, written in the strongly cursive Sōsho style, dominate this hanging scroll – a script form known for its flowing connections, which are often barely recognizable as individual strokes.

The brush was moved at high speed, so that individual lines merge into one another and the characters almost appear as a continuous band. A small red seal in the upper right rounds off the composition. Sōsho style, often also called "grass script," requires a trained eye from the viewer, since legibility recedes in favor of expression and movement – a deliberate artistic compromise.

For lovers of calligraphy who are less interested in the literal content than in the pure beauty of the brushwork, such a hanging scroll is a particularly appealing collector's item.

Frequently asked

When was the work created?

Based on the previous owners' information and the condition of the object we place it broadly in the Meiji (1868–1912) period, but cannot give a precise date.

Is this genuine craftsmanship?

Yes, this piece is a genuine handcrafted original that exists only once.

Why does the date of creation sometimes not match the artist's dates

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?.