Letter by Ono-no-Otsu
- Person
-
作者小野お通
- Date
-
制作年 AD17
- Title
- オノノオツウヒツショウソク
- Collections
- Century Akao Collection
- Depository
- Institute of Oriental Classics (Shido Bunko) Campus Mita
- Ref. number
- AW-CEN-000765-0000
- License
- CC BY Images license
- Creditline
-
慶應義塾（センチュリー赤尾コレクション）
- URL
- Classification
- Art
- AI Tagging
- Wood Rectangle Font Handwriting Pattern
Ono-no-Otsu (1568-1631?) was the daughter of Ono-no-Masahide, the governor of Noto Province, and was presumably the author of Joruri Monogatari (lit. The Tale of Joruri. Notes: A joruri is a dramatic narrative chanted to a samisen accompaniment). While not much is known about this literary lady’s life, she is said to have been blessed with many talents, such as poetry composition, music, calligraphy and painting. She served Lady Yodo, Generalissimo Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s concubine, and Princess Sen, the daughter of Shogun Tokugawa Hidetada, as their private secretary, in addition to teaching samurai’s daughters and coaching calligraphy.Ono-no-Otsu exhibits wildly varied thick and thin brush strokes, reflecting the unique aesthetic sense she developed. This style, dubbed the Otsu Style, was particularly popular among women. This is a thank-you letter written in hiragana for a box of strawberries that Otsu had received. She must have been asked to work with mugwort to make moxa, for she replies that she will do so. (Notes: Moxabustion to stimulate ‘tsubo’ spots on the skin was a cure prescribed in Chinese medicine. It was brought to Japan during the 6th century and became popular among commoners during the Edo Period.) The letter’s addressee, Lady Seio, cannot be readily identified; most likely she was a court woman in service to Lady Yodo.The delicate and sharply etched lines and bold ways of abbreviating hiragana syllables are attributed to Otsu’s strong personality, and they served as the prototype for Otsu Style calligraphy, which won many female followers.
このものに返々もくさの事まいらせ候 いとやすき御事にて御五もしおはしまし候も かしく文忝／＼思ひまいらせ候御ことつてかす／＼申まいらせ候ことに見事のいちこかしくたひおはしまし候御心さしのほとひとしほ になかめ入まいらせ候 御ひまのすきにちと御たちよりまち入まいらせ候 かしく［封］ 御返事正応さままいるつう申し給へ
Overview
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Details
Identifiers
- Title (EN)
- Letter by Ono-no-Otsu
Physical description
- Weights and quantities
-
Quantity 1幅
- Attachments
- 大倉汲水極め札
Provenance
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