Title: Moto Me Hoshi Yo (Priest Sogan’s Training), Circa 1336-1392. Poetical Calligraphy by the Founder of the Sogan School of Calligraphy. Beautifully Decorated with Blue and Purple Ink Clouds, with Two Appraisal Stamps
Author: Attributed to Monk Sogan; Appraisal Stamp of Okura Kosai and another
Condition: Very Good
An Early Muromachi Period, mid to late 14th century handscroll of beautiful, poetical calligraphy, attributed to the Monk Sogan, founder of the Sogan School of Calligraphy.
This calligraphy has been beautifully produced, with looping characters, and the poetry has been further enhanced with additional decorations, the top and bottom of the paper being sprayed with blue and purple ink clouds, very much adding to the presentation.
A calligrapher from the Northern and Southern Courts Period, Sogan was a Ji sect monk who lived at Konren-ji Temple in Shijo Dojo, Kyoto. He founded the Sogan school of calligraphy, which branched off from the Sonen school (Shoren-in school). He studied renga poetry enthusiastically, and 24 of his poems are included in the "Tsukubashu", the first imperial anthology of renga, which was assembled in 1356.
There are two calligraphy appraiser stamps, one which I do not recognize. The producer of the appraisal note and stamp I do recognize, however, is the Edo Period calligraphy expert Okura Kosai (1795-1862,) who served the Kishu Tokugawa family and was awarded the rank of Hokkyo. He died in 1863 but not before having appraised a wide selection of calligraphy, paintings, and other hand produced manuscripts and artworks.
The calligraphy has been laid down and bound in a scroll for preservation, with a beautiful brocade decorated cover of golden stripes against blue, and there are jikusaki (knobs). There is a wooden box to accompany it for preservation.
One brocade bound handscroll of calligraphy on fine paper, 31.2 x 287 cm
This handscroll is in very good shape, with minimal rubbing and wear to the brocade. There are some small, repaired worm tracks, and very light, scattered soiling.