Enso – Circle of Enlightenment
Sold – no longer available
This piece was handmade by Hashimoto Johisa and was a 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 36 cm
- Item Type Kakemono
- Jikusaki Wood
- Material Honshi Paper
- Period of Creation Shôwa (1926–1989)
- Technique Hand-Painted
- Unique Work Yes
No longer available
Description
With a single, powerful stroke of the brush, this Ensō – the famous Zen circle – has been captured on paper. At the upper left, the stroke begins boldly and dark, lightening slightly as the movement progresses, before almost, but not quite, closing: a gap left open deliberately, standing for perfection within imperfection.
The Ensō is regarded as one of the central symbols of Zen Buddhism. It represents enlightenment, emptiness and, at the same time, the fullness of the universe, as well as the immediacy of the creative moment, since it must be created in a single breath and allows for no correction. It is precisely in this uncompromising quality that the particular fascination of this genre lies.
The sheet bears the signature and seal of Hashimoto Johisa. Mounted simply on light-colored paper, the circle unfolds its meditative effect through pure reduction and is exceptionally well suited to spaces of stillness, such as a tea room or meditation room.
