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Reflections of Priest Foyen
by Ikkyū Sōjun
About the Artwork
Left by his mother at a small Zen temple in Kyoto at the age of six, Ikkyu later drew on his early studies and experiences for his writings, which focused on his keen interest in the Chinese classics. Poetry in particular was a favorite subject and images from classical poetry or passages from favorite poems or commentaries frequently provided Ikkyu with the core ideas for his own work. A rare example of his calligraphy, this narrow scroll contains a verse in eight phrases, each comprising four characters. The whole verse is organized in three towering lines of brusque, emphatic calligraphy augmented by Ikkyu's signature-the two lines of running script in the lower left corner. The text refers to a passage included in the Chronicle of the Zen Sect that contains a cautionary reminder attributed to the legendary Chinese monk Foyen Qingyuan (1067-1120), long revered in Japan. The initial phrase begins: "Life is a mirage."
Inscriptions
signed: "Kido nanasei son, Ikkyūshi Sōjun sho (Written by Ikkyū Sōjun, the seventh generation of Kido)
Exhibition history
Ink Paintings and Ash-Glazed Ceramics: Medieval Calligraphy, Painting, and Ceramic Art from Japan and Korea. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (March 19-May 28, 2000).
Quick Overview
- Artist
- Ikkyū Sōjun (Japanese, 1394–1481)
- Date
- 1400s
- Medium
- hanging scroll, ink on paper
- Type
- Painting
- Classification
- Painting
- Department
- Japanese Art
- Credit line
- Gift from the Collection of George Gund III
- Accession no.
- 2015.511
More by Ikkyū Sōjun in museum collections
Data retrieved from the Cleveland Museum of Art on October 8, 2026. The museum may have updated its record since.
Open-access museum record · AT-00010151
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