Preface

Historian Rai San’yō, whose family came from Hiroshima and achieved elite samurai status from modest beginnings as textile dyers, contributed three calligraphies to these albums, including this preface, in which he explains that the albums were being assembled to show off the beauty of the landscape along Lake Biwa near Hikone Castle in central Japan. The albums also feature one leaf each by San’yō’s father, a scholar, and his two uncles, a physician and a scholar turned local government official.

A horizontally oriented double-leaf album features vertical columns of black-inked Japanese calligraphy on two cream silk panels (see "Inscriptions"). The flowing script varies from thin, wispy lines to thick, dark marks. A small red stamp marks the upper right of the right panel, while two larger square red stamps sit in the lower left of the left panel. A thin, light-tan border frames each silk panel against the paper pages.

Preface

1817

Rai Sanyō

(Japanese, 1780–1832)

Japan, Edo period (1615–1868)

Visually Similar by AI

Contact Us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please fill out the appropriate request form linked below:

Update or Correct Artwork Information

Imagery or Rights for Non-Open-Access Artworks

Report a Website Issue

Further Questions About This Artwork