Brush, by Yashima Gakutei

An image of Brush. Gakutei, Yashima (Japanese, 1786(?)-1868). Surimono. Colour print from woodblocks, with metallic pigment and blind embossing, circa 1827-circa 1829. Poetry by Ukitei Hamamichi and Bunsensha. Ukiyo-e. Notes: From a set of Four companions for writing. The other ‘writing companions’ in the set were paper, ink and ink-stone. It was commissioned by the Ichiyo poetry group whose emblem is depicted among the cracked ice and plum blossoms in the border. In this print, the calligrapher Ono no Tofu (894-966) is shown with his first brushwork for the New Year. One of the poems in the upper right reads: The green threads of the willow are flowing in the breeze, splashing elegant brush strokes onto a frog’s face. This alludes to the tale of how Tofu became one of the ‘Three famous calligraphers’: frustrated with his lack of progress he went for a walk and saw a tiny frog succeeding after many attempts to jump onto the tip of a willow branch. Encouraged, Tofu returned to his exercises.

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Brush. Gakutei, Yashima (Japanese, 1786(?)-1868). Surimono. Colour print from woodblocks, with metallic pigment and blind embossing, circa 1827-circa 1829. Poetry by Ukitei Hamamichi and Bunsensha. Ukiyo-e. Notes: From a set of Four companions for writing. The other ‘writing companions’ in the set were paper, ink and ink-stone. It was commissioned by the Ichiyo poetry group whose emblem is depicted among the cracked ice and plum blossoms in the border. In this print, the calligrapher Ono no Tofu (894-966) is shown with his first brushwork for the New Year. One of the poems in the upper right reads: The green threads of the willow are flowing in the breeze, splashing elegant brush strokes onto a frog’s face. This alludes to the tale of how Tofu became one of the ‘Three famous calligraphers’: frustrated with his lack of progress he went for a walk and saw a tiny frog succeeding after many attempts to jump onto the tip of a willow branch. Encouraged, Tofu returned to his exercises.

Image data

Accession Number: P.268-1937
Photograph copyright © The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.
Aperture: f/22.0
Focal length: 120
Camera: Hasselblad H4D-31
Photographer name: Sam Cole
Image height: 1025 pixels
Image width: 877 pixels
Processed with: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.0 (Windows)
Filesize: 842.22kB
Exposure time: 1/125
ISO Speed: 100
Fnumber: 22/1
Captured: 2017:07:24 11:18:28

Key words

19th Century blind embossing brush calligrapher calligraphic calligraphy colour printing embossed embossing Fitz_PDP Gakutei gofun Japan Japanese karazuri metallic pigment New Year Ono no Tofu paint brush paintbrush pigment poem poetry poets print robes surimono ukiyo-e woodblock woodcut writing writing equipment Yashima Gakutei

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            The Fitzwilliam Museum (2026)
            "Brush, by Yashima Gakutei"
            Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/image/media-3023499921 Accessed: 2026-02-08 21:57:01

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            |title=Brush, by Yashima Gakutei
            |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2026-02-08 21:57:01|publisher=The
            University of Cambridge}}

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