Heart Sutra in Large Characters on Olive Background
Sold – no longer available
This piece was handmade by Suizan Meiji 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 200 cm
- Width 52 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
Fine, even brushstrokes run line by line across the light paper of this hanging scroll, rendering the complete text of the Heart Sutra (Hannya Shingyo), one of the central teachings of Zen Buddhism. The characters stand close and calm side by side, in a hand that suggests years of practice in calligraphy. At the lower edge of the column of script is the signature along with the red seal of the calligrapher who executed the work, a detail that lends the sheet a personal note.
The work was created in the Shôwa period, an era in which classical sutra calligraphy continued to enjoy great esteem in both Buddhist and private circles. The honshi consists of paper whose subtly shimmering, warm tone lends additional depth to the black ink characters. The jikusaki made of wood blends unobtrusively into the restrained overall picture and underscores the meditative character of the work.
For collectors of Japanese calligraphy and friends of Buddhist art, this hanging scroll is a fitting addition: it can be understood both as a standalone wall piece and as an object of quiet contemplation, and brings a touch of Far Eastern serenity into any room.
