Letter to Tomioka Tessai c. late 19th century

This letter to Tomioka Tessai was created with ink on paper by Ōtagaki Rengetsu in Japan, but we can't know exactly when. Rengetsu, a Buddhist nun and artist, lived through a time of great social and political change in Japan. From the late Edo to the early Meiji period Japan went through rapid modernization and Westernization. The old feudal system was dismantled and the new government promoted nationalism and emperor worship. Against this backdrop of modernization and nationalism, Rengetsu, with her individualistic art, challenged conventional artistic norms and expectations. In this letter, we see Rengetsu's distinctive calligraphy, which is characterized by its fluid brushwork and expressive quality. She was known for her poetry and calligraphy, often combining the two in her artwork. Her work gives us insights into the spiritual and artistic practices of 19th-century Japan. To understand this letter better, we can look into the social history of women artists in Japan, the influence of Buddhism on Japanese art, and the cultural context of letter writing. By understanding this work we understand more about the role of art and artists in Japanese society.