Single-Line Calligraphy [center of a triptych of single-line calligraphies] by Gaoquan Xingdun

Single-Line Calligraphy [center of a triptych of single-line calligraphies] 1690

ink-on-paper

toned paper

linocut

ink paper printed

henna art

japan

ink-on-paper

tile art

linocut print

ink drawing experimentation

coffee painting

tattoo

tattoo art

calligraphy

This hanging scroll, part of a triptych, is a fine example of Chinese calligraphy created by Gaoquan Xingdun in 1690. The artist’s masterful brushstrokes create a flowing, dynamic composition. The elegant lines and bold strokes of black ink on pale paper evoke the beauty and expressiveness of traditional Chinese calligraphy. The piece is a testament to the skill and artistry of Gaoquan Xingdun, a prominent calligrapher of the Qing Dynasty.

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minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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The written word is of utmost importance in Japanese Zen. Handwritten texts by Zen teachers—everything from lectures and certificates to poems and personal correspondence—are treasured as bokuseki, “ink traces” of the master, and displayed in monasteries for their didactic potential as well as for the beauty of the writing itself. This triptych of scrolls features the bold, semi-cursive calligraphy of Gaoquan Xingdun, a Chinese monk who immigrated to Japan in 1661 and became a central figure in the early development of the O_baku school, or sect, of Zen. Each scroll includes a single, five-character Zen maxim: “Eternal blessings on the wise ruler” on the important central scroll; “Religious spirit spreads across the four seas” at right; and “Beneficent graces permeate the world” at left.