Three Poems from the Kokin wakashū (Araki-gire) - Fujiwara no Yukinari

A fine art print of a fragment from the Araki-gire, featuring elegant Japanese kana calligraphy by the master Fujiwara no Yukinari.

This piece is a fragment from the Araki-gire, a series of scrolls containing excerpts from the Kokin wakashū, the first imperial anthology of Japanese poetry. Attributed to the master calligrapher Fujiwara no Yukinari, also known as Kōzei, this work represents the peak of the Wayō style of Japanese calligraphy. Yukinari was one of the Sanseki, or Three Brush Traces, a group of three calligraphers who defined the aesthetic standards of the Heian period.

The script displays the fluid, cursive kana characters that evolved from Chinese kanji. The brushwork is characterised by a rhythmic variation in pressure, creating a sense of movement across the paper. The characters are arranged in vertical columns, with the spacing between lines and individual glyphs carefully managed to maintain balance. The ink tone varies in density, suggesting the speed and confidence of the calligrapher's hand. The paper itself features subtle decorative elements, typical of the refined tastes of the Heian court, where the physical presentation of poetry was as significant as the verses themselves.

As a fragment, this work offers a glimpse into the practice of copying classical literature for study and preservation. The Araki-gire is named after the Araki family, who held the scrolls for generations. The preservation of these fragments allows for the study of Yukinari's specific approach to the kana script, which favoured a more restrained and elegant form compared to the more exuberant styles of his predecessors. This print captures the texture of the original ink and the aged quality of the paper, providing a clear view of the brushwork and the composition of the verses. It is a piece of historical documentation that records the intersection of literature and visual art in medieval Japan.