Bequeathed verse of abbot Daie
1982
Inoue Yuichi, renowned for his abstract calligraphy, wrote this piece toward the end of his life. As his health was declining, he studied and practiced verses bequeathed by eminent Zen monks. As a tradition, Zen monks who were also calligraphers often wrote a poem right before their death—as a final expression of their enlightenment—and would leave the calligraphy to their disciples as a way of transmitting their teaching. The poem transcribed here—by Chikotsu Daie (1229–1312), the ninth abbot of the Tofukuji temple in Kyoto—was written in an untrammeled style right before Daie’s death. Yuichi’s work is in a similar style as Daie’s calligraphy but with even bolder and more dynamic brushstrokes.
Ink on paper
Image: 47 3/4 x 76 3/4 in. (121.3 x 194.9 cm)
Overall: 69 1/2 x 81 3/4 in. (176.5 x 207.6 cm)
Gift of Mary and Cheney Cowles
2019.10
Photo: Elizabeth Mann
