I recently recived this lovely scroll, the caligraphy is in silver which makes it very difficult to photograph but I would love to know any information about it.
Thanks
Alex
Still, I managed to see the name "Sei Shonagon" at the beginning of the writing in the scrolls on both ends. The words are most probably poetry by Seishonagonツ(ツ青エツ渉ュ窶拏ナ陳セツ), a woman poet of ancient Japan known for The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon.
In those days, women wrote poetry in kana (hiragana) in very elaborate cursive style. So, I can't figure which poem unless the photo is crisp and easy to see.
The one in the middle is quite blurred. It probably is the name of an artist with his/her seal. (Not Sei Shonagon--they didn't do that in her days.)
Thank you epigene, It would be great if it was a poem by Sei Shonagon, her work is beautiful. I have tried to take some clearer photos and have played with them a little to make them clearer hope this helps, I have also taken a picture of a slip of paper that I found in the box.
Thanks again
Alex
The piece you added in your second post (one at right) was very good piece of information. It is the modern Japanese script version of the same poem in the center, which is presented in cursive calligraphy. It is certainly a famous poem by Sei Shonagon, a selection used in the famous Ogura Hyakunin Isshu.
I won't even try to give a translation. It is translated in the Web page. Sei Shonagon's poem is No. 62 of the 100 poems.
Also, the unknown piece in pale gray/silver is probably the same poem, judging from the cursive script.
The one with the seal is very likely the name of the calligrapher and his seal. How you read it--I cannot give a definitive answer, partly because it's blurred and partly because how it is read depends on the person. The same kanji combinations can be read differently, especially in a name.
David Bull, a woodblock printmaker, reproduced Katsukawa Shunsho's excellent Hyakunin Isshu in the Edo era.
I believe the design of your scroll was also taken from the original Katsukawa's work.
David Bull
The attachment is from his site.
(C) Copyright David Bull, 1989-2005
Wow Pipokun, thanks for your help (again!!), I was looking at the David Bull website and realised I may have another print from this set, I bought it sometime ago and have not got around to displaying it so I hadn't put two and two together. I think it must be Gon Chunagon Sadayori. What do you think? It is stamped on the back as 'William Anderson Collection'
I suppose it is #45 poem by Kentokuko, Fujiwarano Koremasa.
David san translates him as Prince Kentoku, but he was a man in power from one of the Fujiwara family. His daughter had Prince Morosada, Kazan Tenno later.
Thank you, I have always hoarded lots of things and , trust me, for every treasure there has been 20 disappointments! I thought you might like to see this, my favourite treasure a rootwood crow.
I watched quite an eye-opening TV program about Nanzenji temple famous for the zen rock garden in Kyoto.
I didn't know the original fusuma, papered sliding doors, in the room facing the garden used to be golden ones with gorgeous paintings. The whereabouts of whole fusuma are still unknown, some are in NY, and some are possessed by a British person who bought them without knowing they were from the temple. I bet even the seller didn't know that.
Interesting enough, he keeps them, not in your country, but somewhere in Tokyo.
I suppose you've got some real treasures among the collections.
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