Poem by Onakatomi Yoshinobu with Underpainting of Hollyhocks

Shōkadō Shōjō

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The honorific “Three Brushes of the Kan’ei Era” was given to Shōkadō Shōjō, Hon’ami Kōetsu (1558–1637), and Konoe Nobutada (1565–1614), all of whom were active in the Kyoto area. Both Shōjō, a Shingon monk, and Kōetsu, who worked as a ceramist and lacquer designer, turned to the painter Tawaraya Sōtatsu and his studio to create underpaintings for their calligraphic work. Here, Shōjō transcribed an ancient poem exalting the emperor by Ōnakatomi no Yoshinobu (921–991). The choice of poem and Shōjō’s fluid kana calligraphy reflect the renewed interest in classical literature that blossomed around the early 1600s. Chitose made kagireru matsu mo kyō yori wa kimi hikarete yorozuyo ya hemu Though pine trees may live a thousand years, the pine shoot plucked by His Majesty, however, will flourish forever. –Trans. John T. Carpenter

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art