H x W (image): 99.8 × 29 cm (39 5/16 × 11 7/16 in)
Type:
Painting
Origin:
Kyoto, Japan
Date:
ca. 1850-1875
Period:
Edo period or Meiji era
Description:
In elegant Japanese cursive "hiragana" calligraphy distinguished by its free, open forms and composition, the artist has written a Japanese "waka" verse of her own composition. Her use of very dry ink makes the lines seem ephemeral. The poem reads:
shiragiku no
makura ni chikaku
kaoru yo wa
yume mo ikuyo no
aki kaeruran
White chrysanthemums
near my pillow
perfume the night
these dreams of many nights of
autumn will not return
Painted below is a spray of white chrysanthemums, painted in ink with subtle tints of blue and reddish brown tones. The composition completes the calligraphy above in scale and mood.
Inscriptions:
1. From seller's invoice, 24 June 1997) Signed: "Rengetsu"; Box inscribed on outside: "Rengetsu roni jigasan" (Old nun Rengetsu's painting and inscription); Box inscribed on inside; "Shiragiku no makura ni chikaku, un'un..., Jinkoin ro Nojoen ninshi" First line of the poem, then (Old Nojoen of the Jinkoin authorized this.)
Label:
Above her sketch of a blossoming chrysanthemum plant supported by a bamboo stake, the Buddhist nun Rengetsu inscribed a poem of her own composition:
White chrysanthemums
Near my pillow
Perfume the night.
These dreams of many nights of
Autumn will not return.
Rengetsu took Buddhist vows at the age of thirty-three, following a series of personal tragedies. She studied poetry composition with several Kyoto authorities and became well known not only for her verses but also for inscribing them on her own handmade ceramic teapots and bowls.
Collection:
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Exhibition History:
Tea for...Everyone: Popular Ceramics for Drinking Tea in Japan (March 8 to October 19, 2008)
The Tea Ceremony in Japan XII (July 2, 2000 to February 4, 2001)