Asianart.com | Associations | Articles | Exhibitions | Galleries


Visitors' Forum

Asian Art  Forums - Reply Message
Asian Art Forums

Message Listing by Date:
Message Index | Back | Post a New Message | Search | Private Mail | FAQ
Subject:Difficult Woodblock Seal Challenge
Posted By: J. Boussinesq Sat, Dec 02, 2017 IP: 99.110.2.80

This is a challenge that has led to many dead ends. I have a small Japanese woodblock print of sparrows and rice sheaves with a faint seal (with some damage) that can not yet be identified. A picture with an enhanced version of the seal is attached.

I will be greatly impressed, and impressively grateful, to anyone who can decipher this; and will take away Bob Dylan's Nobel prize and award it to whoever can solve this mystery. Bob is fine with this, because he didn't really want the award anyway.

J. Boussinesq



Subject:Re: Difficult Woodblock Seal Challenge
Posted By: mikeoz Sat, Dec 02, 2017

Interesting. Can't suggest Japanese pronunciation. Maybe a 'pen-name'.

光磬之詩

光 - Light, brightness

磬 - A stone chime

之 - this, (possessive)

詩 - Poetry, poem.



Subject:Re: Difficult Woodblock Seal Challenge
Posted By: I.Nagy Sun, Dec 03, 2017

The seal reads one way:
元穀之詩  Poem of Motoki or Motoyoshi
First I can not find any Japanese poet with this name,
second, why to put a seal like this on a picture apparently without any poem written on.

However, rather plausible explanation is that, it could be the "title" itself:
Genkoku no Shi - "Poem of the prime grain" (Rice)

Thank you in advance for Bob Dylan`s Nobel Prize.

With regards,
I.Nagy



Subject:Re: Difficult Woodblock Seal Challenge
Posted By: J. Boussinesq Mon, Dec 04, 2017

Dear Mikeoz and I. Nagy,

Thank you for the help. Bob says stop by any time for the Nobel: he thinks it is in a box somewhere in the back of a closet, but will have to look. In a great coincidence, "Poem of the prime grain" is the working title of his new album. It is, however, possible that his preferred grain is not rice.

As always, I am thankful and greatly impressed.

J. Boussinesq

Post a Reply
Name:
Email:
Group: China & Japan
Subject:
Message:
Link URL:
Enter here the complete URL of any site, page or image you would like to show other visitors.
URL Title:
Enter here the title of the link you've given above. This will appear to the visitor. Eg., if you are linking another picture, enter "Another picture". The link will not appear without a title.
Image URL:
Enter here the URL of an image if it is already uploaded on the web. The image will appear with your posting. Do not post pictures which are not yours without permission from the copyright holder. It is the responsibility of each poster to make sure they have permission to use any photos they post.
Image: You may upload up to three images. If you would like to upload more images to this message please do so by replying to this same message.

Please make sure the file type is JPEG or GIF and the filename does not contain spaces.





Use the Browse button to find an image (jpg or gif) on a local drive on your computer to upload for including with your message. Do not upload images with file names containing spaces. Please do not upload files larger than 500 KB in size. Do not post pictures which are not yours without permission from the copyright holder. It is the responsibility of each poster to make sure they have permission to use any photos they post. Check the "email notification" box below if you would like to be notified of any responses to your message.
Check here for email notification.
Security Code: Security Image: please enter the text appears in this image.

Please type in the code you see in the image directly above this input box.


Asianart.com | Associations | Articles | Exhibitions | Galleries |