Waka Kaishi by Karasumaru Mitsuhiro 烏丸光広筆和歌懐紙カラスマルミツヒロヒツワカカイシ

Description

Karasumaru Mitsuhiro (1579-1638) was an Edo-Period aristocrat and noted poet, who was the son of the Minister Equivalent Mitsunobu (1549-1611). Although he advanced smoothly in the official hierarchy, his entanglement in a palace group sex scandal involving several ladies-in-waiting (1609) angered Emperor Goyozei (1571-1617) so much so that he was banished into exile. Later, General Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616) worked to have Mitsuhiro pardoned. After being released from banishment, he reassumed a public office, eventually becoming the Provisional Major Counselor of the Senior Second Rank. Versatile artist and free-spirited character, Mitsuhiro showed skills in waka, renga (linked waka poems), brush-ink calligraphy and painting, as well as the formalized art of the tea ceremony (chanoyu). He practiced Zen under Priest Isshi-Bunshu (1608-1646). Training in waka composition under Hosokawa Yusai (1534-1610), he left a private collection of his works, Koyo Wakashu（lit. Golden Leaf Poems). Hailed as one of the most outstanding calligraphers of the era, Mitsuhiro was often referred to as one of the “Kannei-no-Sampitsu,” or the Three Brushes of the Kannei Era. He was originally trained in the traditional Jimyo-In School calligraphy, as was the custom among aristocrats. But he taught himself the Koetsu style and later the Teika style, finally establishing an unstructured and almost freestyle calligraphy that can aptly be called the Mitsuhiro Style.From the bold, unique and unrestricted manner in which the brush flows, this kaishi was likely written by Mitsuhiro in his 50s. The poem is cited from the private collection Kyohaku-Shu, an anthology of Kinoshita Choshoshi (1569-1649). The origin of the poem presents an unanswered question: The brush is the authentic writing of Mitsuhiro, which suggests that he also composed this poem. So why is this poem included in Choshoshi’s private collection? Could it be, perhaps, that he was very drunk when writing this poem and just jotted down a poem ringing in his head, which happened to be written by his friend?