Album Leaf Poem 1817

"Album Leaf Poem" is a Japanese calligraphy work (shodo) by Hata Seichi, dated 1817. This work, currently housed at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, displays the artist's mastery of brushstrokes, evident in the elegant and fluid characters. Shodo, a traditional art form in Japan, emphasizes not just the written word but also the visual beauty of the script itself. Seichi’s work exemplifies this, capturing the essence of the poem through the careful arrangement and execution of each character. The piece offers a glimpse into the aesthetic values of Japanese calligraphy, where both content and form are intrinsically linked.