Kakemono Enso in Powerful Brushstrokes

With a single, energetic sweep of the brush, this Enso comes into being – more compact and denser in its stroke than classical interpretations, with clearly visible traces of brush abrasion along the lower edge of the image, making the speed of execution almost tangible. A short line of text, set in delicate calligraphy, accompanies the circle along the left edge of the painting.

The Enso is one of the best-known symbols of Zen Buddhism: it represents enlightenment, strength, and the emptiness of the universe, with the very imperfection of the circular form – its open or irregular closure – regarded as an expression of impermanence and authenticity. The work bears the signature and seal of Hirata Umura and was created during the Shōwa period. Painted on paper and fitted with a jikusaki made of synthetic material, this hand-painted, one-of-a-kind piece embodies the meditative power of Zen calligraphy in an especially direct and forceful form.