The Art of Calligraphy in Asia
Calligraphy, the art of beautiful writing, was long considered the supreme art form in China, Japan, and Korea. This elevated status reflects the importance of the written word in East Asian cultures. In ancient China, early emperors asserted their power by engraving edicts or pronouncements on stone in their own calligraphic script. The elite members of society were scholarofficials, whose status was attained by their command of the written word. In addition to the central role played by writing in Chinese culture, the visual form of the language also contributed to the distinctiveness of the calligraphic tradition. The vast number and complexity of the characters that make up the Chinese script presented artists with a unique platform on which to explore the creative possibilities of design.
The writing of Chinese characters-which was then widely adopted in Korea around the fourth century and in Japan in the mid-sixth century-was thought to be the purest visual manifestation of the writer's inner character and level of cultivation. It was the medium through which a person's thoughts, feelings, and artistry were best conveyed. In looking at a piece of calligraphy, we may admire the way a calligrapher manipulated the brush to create an object of beauty in which rhythmic energy is conveyed through strokes and dots done with ink. Changes in ink gradation, the relationship between characters, and the elegance of a single line can entice viewers regardless of the legibility of the text. The calligraphy on display in this installation, dating from the fourth century to the present day, demonstrates the written language's lasting appeal as a vehicle for creating highly individualized works of art.
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Tracing the Origin -002Tracing the Origin -002, 2006
Modern period, 1912–present
Chinese -
Sumidera Heart Sutra (Sumidera shingyō 隅寺心経)Sumidera Heart Sutra (Sumidera shingyō 隅寺心経), 8th century
Nara period, 710–794
Japanese -
Divisions of Vowed Morality Sutra (J: Konponsetsu issai ubu binya; Skt: Mūlasarvāstivada nikaya vinaya sūtra), from Jingoji TempleDivisions of Vowed Morality Sutra (J: Konponsetsu issai ubu binya; Skt: Mūlasarvāstivada nikaya vinaya sūtra), from Jingoji Temple , ca. 1150
Late Heian period, 794–1185
Japanese -
Messenger Delivering a Letter (Fumitsukai byōbu-e 文使い屏風絵)Messenger Delivering a Letter (Fumitsukai byōbu-e 文使い屏風絵),
Edo period, 1615–1868 | Kan'ei era, 1624–1644
Japanese -
Calligrapher and AttendantsCalligrapher and Attendants,
Edo period, 1615–1868
Japanese -
Mount Fuji of PoemsMount Fuji of Poems, 1842
Edo period, 1615–1868
Japanese -
The Three Views of JapanThe Three Views of Japan, 1902
Meiji period, 1868–1912
Japanese -
Pines, Waves, and MountainsPines, Waves, and Mountains, 1916
Taishō period, 1912–1926
Japanese -
A View of YoshiwaraA View of Yoshiwara,
Edo period, 1615–1868
Japanese -
Lighting a Lamp-Sunset Glow (Andōn no sekishō あんたうの夕照), from the series “Eight Parlor Scenes” (Zashiki hakkei 坐鋪八景)Lighting a Lamp-Sunset Glow (Andōn no sekishō あんたうの夕照), from the series “Eight Parlor Scenes” (Zashiki hakkei 坐鋪八景), ca. 1766 [Meiwa 3]
Edo period, 1615–1868
Japanese -
Iwai Kumesaburō III as Princess Wakana Raising a Large Spider through Incantation (Wakana-hime 若菜姫), from the series “Contest of Magic Scenes by Toyokuni” (Toyokuni kigō gijutsu kioi 豊国揮毫奇術競)Iwai Kumesaburō III as Princess Wakana Raising a Large Spider through Incantation (Wakana-hime 若菜姫), from the series “Contest of Magic Scenes by Toyokuni” (Toyokuni kigō gijutsu kioi 豊国揮毫奇術競), 1861
Edo period, 1615–1868
Japanese -
Page of calligraphyPage of calligraphy, 9th century AD
Egyptian