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ryuurui (Offline)
Japanese calligrapher
 
Posts: 880
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Tokyo
01-31-2011, 02:31 PM

I have finally received the seals that I have ordered recently. They are absolutely mind blowing.

I am pasting seal imprints scans (scale is not 1:1) carved by master Shirai Yuuki (白井右鬼).

Master Shirai Yuuki



Top to bottom: 品天之印 (real name seal, "seal of Ponte", as "Ponte" is a first part of my last name. Most popular respective meanings of kanji 品天 are: "goods" and "heaven", however in this case they stand for "refined" and "Deva" (from Buddhist philisophy))、寂滅為楽 (leisure seal, "free from earthy desires")、龍涙 (pen name seal, "tears of dragon", i.e. ink of the soul)



Top to bottom:無心 (leisure seal, "free from obstructive thoughts") 、品天、龍涙



Top to bottom: 心翔筆舞 (leisure seal, (when) heart soars the brush is dancing")), 品天之印, 龍涙



Top to bottom: 童心(leisure seal, "child's mind/heart"), 品天, 龍涙


Below is a scan of a handwritten letter from master Yuuki to my teacher. I thought it might be interesting for you to see how the traditional information exchange looks like. Such letters are very rare in today's Japan.
Even though master Yuuki is a famous seal carver, ink painter and calligrapher, his pen handwriting is a bit messy (as commented by my teacher), abundant in mannerisms and approaches calligraphic rules in rather loose manner. It also shows his uncanny character and perfectly illustrates that even though one can be a great calligrapher and write amazing thing with a brush while at the same time n ot be bothered with pen writing. Master Yuuki is 70 years old and is a pupil of legendary Grand Master Kuwahara Suihou (same as my teacher). Below is a link to his site, so you can see some of his artwork. (look under 作品)

http://www10.ocn.ne.jp/~yuuki/

Scan of the letter:


ここの所印とはすっかり離れてしまいました。これでよ いでしょうか。寸法もだいたいの印にしました。冠帽印 は変形のものにしませんので一回押しです。印矩はつか えません。

そのことを伝えてください。寂滅為楽の四字中(…)寂は� ��サンズイ」を省略したものです。
右鬼生。

Translation (note that direct translation is rather impossible due to specific language used, calligraphic "slang"):

I have separated seal (imprints) one from another. I understand that it is satisfactory. Also, I have managed to maintain (requested) seal sizes. (From) of 冠帽印 (seal pressed at the right side of work, it has many names such as 引首印、etc, and its called "leisure seal") is not deformed so you may press it only once. Please do not use seal (carpenter's) square (印矩).

seal (carpenter's) square, used for seal pressing:


Please pass this information (to me, as the letter was written to my teacher). (Regarding) four characters (of the idiom) 寂滅為楽 i have used the old form of 寂 (in seal script). (As you can see right radical was omitted). (In the character) 滅 I have omitted sanzui (water radical)

Signed
Yuuki

Last edited by ryuurui : 01-31-2011 at 03:00 PM.
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