The Poet Kiyohara Motosuke, from the Tameshige Version of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals. Artist: Unidentified Artist Japanese, early 15th century. Culture: Japan. Dimensions: Image: 11 1/2 x 10 in. (29.2 x 25.4 cm)
Overall with mounting: 51 3/4 x 14 1/4 in. (131.4 x 36.2 cm)
Overall with knobs: 51 3/4 x 16 in. (131.4 x 40.6 cm). Date: early 15th century.
This fragment was once part of a handscroll depicting the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals (Sanjurokkasen) known as the Tameshige version, as its calligraphy was once attributed to the influential poet and calligrapher Nijo Tameshige (1334-1385.
The figure of the poet depicted here, Kiyohara Motosuke, is simply rendered, in sharp contrast to the bold, assertive calligraphy that fills the space above. He turns his head toward his name, inscribed to the right in four large Chinese characters. The poem that follows reads:
Aki no no no
hagi no nishiki o
furusato ni
shika no ne nagara
utsushiteshigana
How I wish I could bring
back to the place I was born
the brocade of bush clover
covering these autumn fields,
as well as the baying of deer.
--Trans. John T. Carpenter.
Technique/matériel:
Section of a handscroll mounted as a hanging scroll; ink and color on paper