Kakemono Enso with Accompanying Poem

A single, powerful stroke of the brush is enough to bring this enso into being – the circle that, in Zen art, represents enlightenment, infinity, and emptiness all at once. The open point at the lower edge, where the brush visibly lifts away, brings the movement of the painter alive within the image and points to incompleteness as the true principle of the enso.

The circle is accompanied by a short line of poetry in fine calligraphy, which lends the image an additional poetic dimension and lets image and script merge into a single unity. The work bears the signature and seal of Goto Mizugan and was created in the Shôwa period. Executed on paper and mounted with a wooden jikusaki, this hand-painted unique work combines the meditative power of Zen calligraphy with the quiet elegance of classical Japanese ink art.

An object for anyone who wants to bring minimalist, meaningful art into their living space.