Poems from the Collection of Lady Ise - Fujiwara no Sadanobu

A refined fragment of twelfth-century Japanese calligraphy, featuring the poetry of Lady Ise on delicately patterned paper.

This fragment belongs to the Nishi-Honganji Anthology of Thirty-Six Poets, a set of scrolls commissioned in the early twelfth century. Attributed to the court calligrapher Fujiwara no Sadanobu, these pages are known as the Ishiyama-gire. The work features the poetry of Lady Ise, a prominent figure in the Heian court, transcribed in the kana script. The calligraphy demonstrates a fluid, rhythmic quality, with characters varying in size and weight to create a visual balance across the page.

The paper itself is a work of art, featuring subtle, printed designs of grasses and floral motifs. These decorative elements are applied with mica or light ink, providing a delicate background that does not compete with the text. The interaction between the dark, sweeping strokes of the ink and the pale, patterned paper creates a sense of depth and texture. This piece represents the aesthetic values of the Heian aristocracy, where the presentation of literature was as important as the content itself.

As a fragment of a larger scroll, this print captures the refined nature of Japanese courtly arts. The composition is balanced, with the vertical columns of text flowing naturally across the decorated surface. The preservation of such fragments allows for an examination of the techniques used in twelfth-century manuscript production. This print offers a view into the intersection of poetry, calligraphy, and decorative design, reflecting the cultural climate of the period.