Genjuan no Ki (An Account of the Unreal Dwelling), Circa 1800-1850. A Rare, Late Edo Period Copy of one of the Last Works Produced by Basho, and in his Style
Genjuan no Ki (An Account of the Unreal Dwelling), Circa 1800-1850. A Rare, Late Edo Period Copy of one of the Last Works Produced by Basho, and in his Style
Genjuan no Ki (An Account of the Unreal Dwelling), Circa 1800-1850. A Rare, Late Edo Period Copy of one of the Last Works Produced by Basho, and in his Style
Genjuan no Ki (An Account of the Unreal Dwelling), Circa 1800-1850. A Rare, Late Edo Period Copy of one of the Last Works Produced by Basho, and in his Style
Genjuan no Ki (An Account of the Unreal Dwelling), Circa 1800-1850. A Rare, Late Edo Period Copy of one of the Last Works Produced by Basho, and in his Style
Genjuan no Ki (An Account of the Unreal Dwelling), Circa 1800-1850. A Rare, Late Edo Period Copy of one of the Last Works Produced by Basho, and in his Style
Genjuan no Ki (An Account of the Unreal Dwelling), Circa 1800-1850. A Rare, Late Edo Period Copy of one of the Last Works Produced by Basho, and in his Style
Genjuan no Ki (An Account of the Unreal Dwelling), Circa 1800-1850. A Rare, Late Edo Period Copy of one of the Last Works Produced by Basho, and in his Style
Genjuan no Ki (An Account of the Unreal Dwelling), Circa 1800-1850. A Rare, Late Edo Period Copy of one of the Last Works Produced by Basho, and in his Style
Genjuan no Ki (An Account of the Unreal Dwelling), Circa 1800-1850. A Rare, Late Edo Period Copy of one of the Last Works Produced by Basho, and in his Style

Genjuan no Ki (An Account of the Unreal Dwelling), Circa 1800-1850. A Rare, Late Edo Period Copy of one of the Last Works Produced by Basho, and in his Style

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Title: Genjuan no Ki (An Account of the Unreal Dwelling), Circa 1800-1850. A Rare, Late Edo Period Copy of one of the Last Works Produced by Basho, and in his Style
Author: After Matsuo Basho; Follower of Matsuo Basho  
Condition: Very Good

A Late Edo Period, early to mid 19th century manuscript copy of one of Matsuo Basho’s final works, Genjuan no Ki, or An Account of the Unreal Dwelling, first written in 1690 by Basho in his journal, as a poetic account of his actual stay at the Genju-an while enjoying a brief quiet retirement. Shortly before this he had only completed Oku no Hosomichi in 1689, his best-known mix of prose and verse.

His account of travelling to the Phantom Dwelling displays how he felt in his final years, being worn out, and stretched thin from the many journeys and experiences he faced. A fitting snippet is the following: “I'm like a bagworm that's lost its bag, a snail without its shell. I've tanned my face in the hot sun of Kisakata in Ou and bruised my heels on the rough beaches of the northern sea, where tall dunes make walking so hard.”

Nevertheless, he persists, and of the time of Gen-ju-an, he vocalizes his love of the solitude, and most of all, poetry. From the final section, we can see this clearly, and it is no surprise all that rigorous effort led to his eventual passing in 1694: “I've worn out my body in journeys that are as aimless as the winds and clouds and expended my feelings on flowers and birds. But somehow, I've been able to make a living this way, and so in the end, unskilled and talentless as I am, I give myself wholly to this one concern, poetry.”

This manuscript copy was produced by an ardent follower of Basho, describing himself as a mere student, and with a signature I cannot recognize. Despite that humble statement, he has done an excellent job of skillfully copying Basho’s dizzying and often incomprehensible calligraphy style, from beginning to end, with skillful flourishes and bold brushstrokes.

Surprisingly, even manuscript copies produced by followers or students are a rather uncommon sight on the market.

The calligraphy has been neatly bound in scroll format for preservation.

The last 43 cm have been left blank.

One handscroll of calligraphy on paper, 31.2 x 463 cm

This handscroll is in very good shape, with minimal rubbing or wear to the covers. There is a worm track in repeat, with a bit of text affected, but not fully obscured, and a few other small worm tracks. There is a bit of creasing, with one heavier crease near the end.

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