Chinese Poems and Calligraphy 1779

Mitsui Shinna created this folding screen with Chinese poems and calligraphy in the 18th century, now residing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The screen presents a striking interplay of visual elements. The bold, gestural brushstrokes form characters that command attention, their stark black ink contrasting sharply with the soft, neutral tone of the paper. This work exemplifies the fusion of poetry and calligraphy, a hallmark of East Asian art. The characters, while conveying specific textual meanings, function equally as abstract forms. Their arrangement across the panels creates a rhythm, a visual cadence that mirrors the poetic meter. The very act of writing becomes a performative gesture, imbuing the work with a sense of dynamism and immediacy. Consider how Shinna destabilizes the conventional separation between text and image. The calligraphy transcends mere communication, becoming a visual spectacle in itself. The structure and form invite us to contemplate the interplay between language, art, and the artist’s expressive energy.