Ink on paper

106 × 164 cm. 41 3/4 × 64 5/8 in.

Stamped with an artist's seal and dated on bottom right

LITERATURE
1996 – 1998, Yu-ichi Inoue Catalogue Raisonné of the Works Vol.2, Unac Tokyo Publication, Tokyo, p. 191, pl. 71012
PROVENANCE
Private Collection, Asia
7 Oct 2019, China Guardian Hong Kong Autumn Auction, Lot 102
Acquired directly by present private Asian collector from the above

Letting Go of Distractions, Writing with a Pure Heart
The Calligraphic Philosophy of Yuichi Inoue

As a modern post-war calligrapher in Japan, Yuichi Inoue broke the boundaries of established traditions with his own unique gesture.

Born in Tokyo in 1916, Yuichi Inoue turned to calligraphy in 1941 and studied under the famous artist Ueda Sōkyū. Since then, his modern calligraphy, which originated from the East, Asia and Japan, has been incorporated into the international art trend, and his works have become widely known.

He held “purity” as the highest criterion of creation, and embodies the will of life under his condensed brushwork. He broke away from the traditional brushwork to form a composition with his own unique characteristics. For example, the work To (Stupa) presented this time was created in 1971. It starts with the word “口” at the bottom of the work and slowly builds up a fortress. The other parts stand on their own, forming a stable structure, symbolizing the desire for a stable mind. If the visual abstract composition is linked to his life history of studying, war, and regaining his brush, it echoes the artist's bold heart at the age of his destiny.

Yuichi Inoue lived through the changes of time, left behind masterpieces like the To (Stupa), which, through the narration of ups and downs, leads the viewer to a silent but magnificent time, and expresses his heart explicitly!

Price estimate:
HKD: 220,000 - 320,000
USD: 28,000 - 40,800

Auction Result:
HKD: 336,000