Emperor Go-Mizunoo Imperial Handwriting (Shinkan) — Nyōbō Hōsho
- Artist
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Emperor Go-Mizunoo (1596–1680)
- Period
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Edo period, 1675 (Enpō 3)
- Quality and quantity
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Ink on paper, one hanging scroll
- Size (cm)
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H 36.0 W 99.0
- Category
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Calligraphy
- Classification
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Important art object
- Accession number
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MY0#00010
Description
Shinkan refers to calligraphy personally written by an emperor. This piece was sent together with Emperor Go-Mizunoo Shinkan On-Kahitsu (Added Waka Response) when the retired emperor returned it to Matsudaira Yorishige, the first head of the Takamatsu Matsudaira family.
Written across two sheets of fine paper in a dispersed kana style, it relates how the emperor was moved by Yorishige’s Chinese poem and immediately added a waka, noting as well that his eyesight had declined and his hand had grown unsteady, and requesting that the piece not be shown to others.
Although this piece was written personally by the retired emperor, it adopts the formal structure of a nyōbō hōsho, a document issued in the name of an emperor or retired emperor but written by a court lady （nyōbō）. The piece illustrates the close relationship between Emperor Go-Mizunoo and Yorishige, which was developed through the emperor’s guiding of Yorishige in waka composition.