Kakemono Calligraphy – Eternity

Rarely does a single word appear as animated as here: the word Eternity is written in a very free, cursive grass-script style in which the characters flow into one another and the final stroke trails off in a large, open sweep. This style of writing requires years of practice, since every line must be set in a single stroke without upsetting the overall balance.

A small red seal is placed above the inscription, and another accompanies the signature at the lower left – signs that the calligrapher deliberately authorized his work. The paper shows slight age-related spotting, which lends the sheet a certain patina and matches its date of creation in the Meiji period, making this piece one of the older works in our inventory.

The mounting consists of a dark marbled, gold-flecked border with a narrow black brocade band as well as a gently olive-colored outer silk with light stripe accents – a design choice that was quite distinctive for its time. The plastic roller rod completes the piece. As a calligraphy with such a timeless statement, this hanging scroll is especially suited to a place of quiet and retreat.