Title: Hakubyō Sanjurokkasen Shikishi (White Drawing Thirty-Six Immortals of Poetry Leaves), Circa 1603-1750. A Suite of 13 Fine Monochrome Ink Paintings Depicting Famed Poets of Japan’s History
Author: Likely Tosa School
Condition: Very Good
A Mid to Late Edo Period, 17th to mid 18th century suite of 13 fine ink paintings, depicting various members of the Sanjurokkasen, also more famously known as the Thirty-Six Immortals of Poetry.
The paintings have been produced on fine torinoko paper, with sprinkled mica dust applied. The paintings have been finely produced using the hakubyō technique of brush lines in monochromatic inks, defined facial expressions and vestments, with heavily detailed designs, and the kimonos of the female poets many layered. Though I do not recognize the artist seal, the style is very much similar to hakubyō compositions seen among some Tosa School artists.
Selected by Fujiwara no Kintō of the Heian Period, the Sanjurokkasen are a group of Japanese poets of the Asuka, Nara, and Heian Periods as exemplars of Japanese poetic ability.
Since that, various editions of the Sanjurokkasen have been produced, from the Thirty-Six Female Immortals of Poetry, the New Thirty-Six Immortals of Poetry, and even the Late Classical Thirty-Six Immortals of Poetry, each with a unique selection of poets.
The paintings have been tipped into a worn but finely made brocade portfolio.
13 fine ink paintings on paper, 31.2 x 23 cm
These paintings are in very good shape, with minor ink smudging and minor scraping to the empty backgrounds, though the main compositions are largely unaffected. There is also a bit of soiling, and minor crumpling to a few edges.