四季の花|Poetry, from the illustrated book Flowers of the Four Seasons
1801
ink
From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art
1801
ink
From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art
This image shows a page filled with Japanese calligraphy. The lines of text are arranged in two columns, written in flowing black ink on a light, slightly yellowed paper. The characters vary in size and stroke thickness, creating a rhythm across the page. Notice how the script looks almost like a dance—each character has its own shape and energy, yet they all work together. The ink is dark but not heavy, letting the paper’s texture show through. If you like this style, look up cross-hatching next.
