The Chinese Calligrapher Boying (Japanese: Hakuei; also known as the “Sage of Cursive Script”); “Inkstone” (Suzuri), from Four Friends of the Writing Table for the Ichiyō Poetry Circle (Ichiyō-ren Bunbō shiyū) From the Spring Rain Collection (Harusame shū), vol. 1 1817 - 1837

This woodblock print by Yashima Gakutei, titled “Inkstone” from the *Spring Rain Collection*, depicts the calligrapher Boying. Boying is revered for his masterful cursive script and is known as the “Sage of Cursive Script”. The print highlights his skill by showing him seated in a natural landscape, examining a scroll of calligraphy while his writing implements are arranged on a table in front of him. The print is part of a series depicting the “Four Friends of the Writing Table”, a set of four objects (brush, paper, inkstone, and ink stick) that are essential for calligraphy and painting. This work, created between 1817 and 1837, showcases the artistic and cultural significance of calligraphy in Japanese society.