Hannya Shingyo – Calligraphy of the Heart Sutra

Name: Hannya Shingyo – Calligraphy of the Heart Sutra
SKU: 5698
Price: 230.00 EUR
Availability: OutOfStock

Kakemono, unique work, with box, 164 x 45 cm

Product number: 5698

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.

More items in category Japanese Calligraphy All one-of-a-kind Japanese Painting pieces

See new one-of-a-kind pieces first

We feature every delivery from Japan in the newsletter first – before the pieces show up in search results.

You might like these pieces

Adachi Taido

Zen Calligraphy "Pure Heart"

Kakemono, unique work, with box, 121 x 60 cm

€750.00

Calligraphy: The Four Virtues of Chado

Kakemono, unique work, 128 x 98 cm

€640.00

Calligraphy Poem Bamboo at the Window Motif Close-Up Preview

Calligraphy poem bamboo at the window full view hanging scroll

Calligraphy Poem: Bamboo by the Window

Kakemono, unique work, 195 x 50 cm

€180.00

Calligraphy: The True Fragrance of Tree and Grass

Kakemono, unique work, 202 x 54 cm

€220.00

Calligraphy "Living in Peace, Not Forgetting War"

Kakemono, unique work, 170 x 52 cm

€140.00

Calligraphy: Purple Light on the Mountains

Kakemono, unique work, 203 x 53 cm

€170.00

Details about the sold piece

Height 164 cm
Width 45 cm
Item Type Kakemono
Jikusaki Wood
Material Honshi Washi (Rice Paper)
Period of Creation Shôwa (1926–1989)
Technique Hand-Painted
Unique Work Yes
Wooden Box Yes

Sold

No longer available

Description

Written line by line in a calm, disciplined hand, this hanging scroll shows the complete text of the Heart Sutra (Hannya Shingyo), one of the most widely read sutras of Mahayana Buddhism. The even flow of the brushstrokes suggests a practiced, meditative writing practice.

The text is set down on fine washi paper, whose shimmering texture further emphasizes the character of the handwriting. The jikusaki at the ends of the roller rods is made of wood, lending the overall appearance a plain, natural note. This hanging scroll is delivered in its own wooden box, which protects the delicate paper from light and moisture.

Those interested in Buddhist calligraphy or the contemplative side of Japanese writing art will find in this hanging scroll an object of great calm. It is suitable both as a spiritual focal point and as an addition to a collection of religious Japanese art.

Frequently asked

I am interested in this work. Do you have more of them in stock?

No – as a one-of-a-kind piece it exists in a single example only.

Can you source a similar work?

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.

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?.

Recently viewed