Kamitsukasa Kaiun
(上司海雲, Japan, 1906–1975)
(上司海雲, Japan, 1906–1975)
Religious name: Ichimi (一海)
Calligraphy: «Clarity / Brightness»
(朗, Rō / Akira)
Ink on shikishi paper
Large central character: 朗 (Rō / Akira) — «ясный», «светлый», «чистый», «безмятежный».
Signed vertically on the left: 東大寺別当一海 (Tōdai-ji Bettō Ichimi) — «Итими, настоятель храма Тодай-дзи».
Bearing the artist’s red seal reading 一海 (Ichimi).
Provenance
Japan; private collection.
Condition
Good condition. Minor age-related toning and light surface wear consistent with the nature and age of the work.
ПРЕДЛОЖИТЬ ЦЕНУ Calligraphy: «Clarity / Brightness»
(朗, Rō / Akira)
Ink on shikishi paper
Large central character: 朗 (Rō / Akira) — «ясный», «светлый», «чистый», «безмятежный».
Signed vertically on the left: 東大寺別当一海 (Tōdai-ji Bettō Ichimi) — «Итими, настоятель храма Тодай-дзи».
Bearing the artist’s red seal reading 一海 (Ichimi).
Provenance
Japan; private collection.
Condition
Good condition. Minor age-related toning and light surface wear consistent with the nature and age of the work.
Kamitsukasa Kaiun (上司海雲, 1906–1975), also known by his religious name Ichimi (一海), was a distinguished Buddhist monk of the Kegon school and an accomplished Japanese calligrapher. He served as the 212th Bettō (chief abbot) of Tōdai-ji Temple in Nara, one of Japan’s most important Buddhist institutions and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Widely respected in Japan’s cultural circles, Kaiun maintained close relationships with leading intellectuals, writers and artists of his time, including the celebrated novelist Shiga Naoya. Alongside his religious activities, he cultivated a profound practice of calligraphy, leaving behind a significant artistic legacy characterized by spiritual depth, expressive brushwork and disciplined simplicity.
The present work features the single character 朗, meaning «clarity», «brightness» or «serenity». Within the context of Buddhist thought, the character may be understood as a reference to an enlightened and unobstructed state of mind — one marked by lucidity, openness and inner peace.
Executed with bold and assured brushstrokes, the composition exemplifies the aesthetics of Japanese shodō, where the energy of the gesture and the balance of empty space are as meaningful as the written word itself. The restrained format of the shikishi board enhances the contemplative quality of the work, allowing the calligraphic form to emerge with exceptional presence and dignity.
Widely respected in Japan’s cultural circles, Kaiun maintained close relationships with leading intellectuals, writers and artists of his time, including the celebrated novelist Shiga Naoya. Alongside his religious activities, he cultivated a profound practice of calligraphy, leaving behind a significant artistic legacy characterized by spiritual depth, expressive brushwork and disciplined simplicity.
The present work features the single character 朗, meaning «clarity», «brightness» or «serenity». Within the context of Buddhist thought, the character may be understood as a reference to an enlightened and unobstructed state of mind — one marked by lucidity, openness and inner peace.
Executed with bold and assured brushstrokes, the composition exemplifies the aesthetics of Japanese shodō, where the energy of the gesture and the balance of empty space are as meaningful as the written word itself. The restrained format of the shikishi board enhances the contemplative quality of the work, allowing the calligraphic form to emerge with exceptional presence and dignity.
