Though better known for his prints, Munakata Shikō was nonetheless an accomplished calligrapher, as this work demonstrates. The soft edges of his brush­strokes, which fade into a deep gray, are reminiscent of the subtle coloration that he added by hand to some of his prints, often applied to the back for a more diffused effect, as seen here. Beyond its gestural calligraphic qualities, this work resonates with Zen due to its inscription, which quotes Daruma, who once said that “one’s true nature is an inexhaustible treasure transmitted from generation to generation.”

 

—Bradley Bailey