Handwritten Letter
Soga Shohaku
c. 1754
Medium
Two hanging scrolls, ink on paper
Dimensions
121.3 × 54.5 cm (47 13/16 × 21 1/2 in.)
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
271420
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Japanese painter Soga Shōhaku was and remains well-known for his artwork, but his personal life is largely mysterious. These scrolls feature the only surviving letters by the artist, and one includes his only known self-portrait. The artist is corresponding with a friend, Shinsuke Konishi (1738–1807). In the first letter, written on New Year’s Day, Shōhaku asks Shinsuke for sake and art supplies. In the second, he thanks his friend for the gift with a poem and a self-portrait. The drawing shows ...