Manuscript Version of the “Travel” Section of the Linked Verse (Renga) Collection “Aged Leaves” (Wakuraba), compiled by Sōgi (1421–1502) 1533

This 1533 manuscript by Japanese artist Ryūkō is a version of the “Travel” section of the linked-verse (renga) collection “Aged Leaves” (Wakuraba), compiled by Sōgi (1421–1502). This version is comprised of a long horizontal scroll (9 1/16 in. × 10 ft. 15/16 in.), and is written entirely in black ink on a beige paper ground. The text is a collection of poems written in the renga style, which is a collaborative form of poetry, in which two or more poets write alternating verses. The collection is thought to have been compiled in the late 15th century, while Ryūkō's manuscript was created decades later. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York holds this manuscript.