【Tokyo, Minami-Aoyama Nezu Museum】"Introduction to Ancient Art Appreciation" Series Vol. 7: Special Exhibition "Characters in Art" to be Held from Saturday, May 30 – Sunday, July 12, 2026
The Nezu Museum will hold the special exhibition "Characters in Art" from May 30 to July 12, 2026. This exhibition is the 7th installment in the "Introduction to Ancient Art Appreciation" series, focusing on signatures, seals, inscriptions, and poems written in paintings and crafts, aiming to make East Asian ancient art more accessible.
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Rather than focusing on calligraphy itself, this exhibition highlights "characters" such as signatures and seals, inscriptions, artists' names, and waka poems, incorporated into paintings and crafts!
While exhibitions focusing on specific painters of the early modern period have garnered attention, it remains true that many still find East Asian ancient art difficult or somehow unapproachable compared to Western art. In response to these voices, our museum has held six special exhibitions in the "Introduction to Ancient Art Appreciation" series, starting with "Introduction to Ancient Art Appreciation – Techniques and Expressions in Painting –" in 2016, followed by "Paper Decoration" (2017), "Lacquer Decoration and Techniques" (2018), "Themes in Painting" (2019), "Depicting People" (2021), and "Sutra Copying and Ink Traces" (2025), all of which explain the techniques and themes of ancient art in an easy-to-understand manner.
This time, we deliberately move away from calligraphy works themselves, which are often avoided because they are "unreadable." Instead, we focus on "characters in art" such as artists' signatures and seals (rakkan), connoisseur's seals indicating ownership, poems and waka added by the artist themselves or others as inscriptions, waka poems incorporated into landscapes of folding screens and emaki (picture scrolls), characters within Buddhist paintings, inscriptions, and poems or auspicious characters inscribed on stationery and vessels.
One highlight will be the first-ever simultaneous public display of our museum's "Kagamiyama-zu" (Mirror Mountain Painting) (Kamakura period), which features a waka poem scattered across a landscape, alongside three similar works.
Through this exhibition, we hope that everyone will realize the importance of "characters in art" and that we can bring you a little closer to East Asian ancient art.
Characters in Paintings
Important Cultural Property: Bamboo and Sparrow Painting, attributed to Muqi, 1 hanging scroll, ink on paper, China, Southern Song dynasty, 13th century, owned by Nezu Museum (on display from May 30 to June 21)
Rakkan and Connoisseur's Seals
Among the characters in paintings, the artist's rakkan (signature and seal) is of primary importance. However, many old paintings, including Buddhist paintings, are unsigned, and the seals impressed may sometimes be connoisseur's seals indicating ownership by shoguns or daimyo, so caution is advised.
Important Cultural Property: Jiang Tian Yuan Yi Tu (Distant View of Rivers and Sky), attributed to Zhou Wen, inscribed by Daitaku Shūsū and 11 other monks, 1 hanging scroll, ink and light color on paper, Japan, Muromachi period, 15th century, owned by Nezu Museum (on display from June 23 to July 12)
Inscriptions (San)
Poems or waka written in the upper part or space of a painting are called san (inscriptions). Many were written by others at the request of the painter, while those written by the painter themselves are called jigasan (self-inscribed paintings). Among the shigajiku (poetic painting scrolls) popular in the Muromachi period, some works had inscriptions added by as many as 30 Zen monks.
Eleven-faced Kannon in Calligraphy, by Dairin Jinjo, 1 hanging scroll, ink on paper, Japan, Edo period, Kaei 6 (1853), owned by Nezu Museum
Characters in Buddhist Paintings
Characters written in Buddhist paintings include citations from scriptures, name tags to distinguish numerous revered figures, and sometimes Bonji (Siddham script) known as shuji. In the Edo period, it was also common to depict Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Five Hundred Arhats by writing continuous sutras.
← View enlarged image on the top poster image.
Kagamiyama-zu (Mirror Mountain Painting), 1 hanging scroll, color on paper, Japan, Kamakura period, 13th-14th century, owned by Nezu Museum
Waka Poems in Landscapes
The practice of composing waka poems to match depicted famous places or scenery and writing them into paintings became popular in the mid-Heian period. Works that can be called a duet of painting and waka, based on this tradition, can be seen in picture scrolls of the Kamakura period and folding screen paintings of the early modern period.
In this exhibition, four similar works (including "Kagamiyama-zu," along with "Kusabana-zu" (Flowers and Grass Painting), "Koubai-zu" (Red Plum Painting), and "Kaihin-zu" (Coastal Landscape Painting)) that were originally part of a single picture scroll and later made into hanging scrolls, will be displayed simultaneously for the first time.
Characters in Crafts
Important Cultural Property: Arareji Matsubai-zu Magata Gama (Hailstone Pattern Pine and Plum Design Kettle), by Ashiya O-e Nobuhide, 1 kettle, iron, Japan, Muromachi period, Eisho 14 (1517), owned by Nezu Museum
Inscriptions (Meibun)
Meibun (inscriptions) in crafts correspond to rakkan in paintings. Their history dates back to ancient Chinese bronze ware. They include not only the names of the creator or owner but also the purpose of creation, the patron, and the place of use, serving as important keys to understanding the provenance of the work.
Important Cultural Property: Hanashirakawa Makie Suzuribako (Hanashirakawa Lacquerware Writing Box), 1 box, wood with lacquer, Japan, Muromachi period, 15th century, owned by Nezu Museum (on display from May 30 to June 21)
Characters Inscribed on Vessels
There are also characters on everyday tools and vessels. Stationery, in particular, often features designs incorporating poetry. Some evoke a single waka poem from a few characters hidden in a design. Characters like "壽" (longevity) and "福" (fortune) were designed as auspicious motifs on vessels.
Related Events
Please apply for participation through each application form on our museum's website under "Event Information." Applications open on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at 1:00 PM.
Slide Lecture "Introduction to Ancient Art Appreciation – Characters in Art –"
Date and Time
・Friday, June 12, 2026, and Friday, June 26, 2026
Both from 11:30 AM to 12:15 PM. *Both sessions will cover the same content.
Venue
Nezu Museum Auditorium
*A curator will provide exhibition commentary using slides. Each lecture will have the same content.
*Participation is free, but museum admission is required.
While exhibitions focusing on specific painters of the early modern period have garnered attention, it remains true that many still find East Asian ancient art difficult or somehow unapproachable compared to Western art. In response to these voices, our museum has held six special exhibitions in the "Introduction to Ancient Art Appreciation" series, starting with "Introduction to Ancient Art Appreciation – Techniques and Expressions in Painting –" in 2016, followed by "Paper Decoration" (2017), "Lacquer Decoration and Techniques" (2018), "Themes in Painting" (2019), "Depicting People" (2021), and "Sutra Copying and Ink Traces" (2025), all of which explain the techniques and themes of ancient art in an easy-to-understand manner.
This time, we deliberately move away from calligraphy works themselves, which are often avoided because they are "unreadable." Instead, we focus on "characters in art" such as artists' signatures and seals (rakkan), connoisseur's seals indicating ownership, poems and waka added by the artist themselves or others as inscriptions, waka poems incorporated into landscapes of folding screens and emaki (picture scrolls), characters within Buddhist paintings, inscriptions, and poems or auspicious characters inscribed on stationery and vessels.
One highlight will be the first-ever simultaneous public display of our museum's "Kagamiyama-zu" (Mirror Mountain Painting) (Kamakura period), which features a waka poem scattered across a landscape, alongside three similar works.
Through this exhibition, we hope that everyone will realize the importance of "characters in art" and that we can bring you a little closer to East Asian ancient art.
Characters in Paintings
Important Cultural Property: Bamboo and Sparrow Painting, attributed to Muqi, 1 hanging scroll, ink on paper, China, Southern Song dynasty, 13th century, owned by Nezu Museum (on display from May 30 to June 21)
Rakkan and Connoisseur's Seals
Among the characters in paintings, the artist's rakkan (signature and seal) is of primary importance. However, many old paintings, including Buddhist paintings, are unsigned, and the seals impressed may sometimes be connoisseur's seals indicating ownership by shoguns or daimyo, so caution is advised.
Important Cultural Property: Jiang Tian Yuan Yi Tu (Distant View of Rivers and Sky), attributed to Zhou Wen, inscribed by Daitaku Shūsū and 11 other monks, 1 hanging scroll, ink and light color on paper, Japan, Muromachi period, 15th century, owned by Nezu Museum (on display from June 23 to July 12)
Inscriptions (San)
Poems or waka written in the upper part or space of a painting are called san (inscriptions). Many were written by others at the request of the painter, while those written by the painter themselves are called jigasan (self-inscribed paintings). Among the shigajiku (poetic painting scrolls) popular in the Muromachi period, some works had inscriptions added by as many as 30 Zen monks.
Eleven-faced Kannon in Calligraphy, by Dairin Jinjo, 1 hanging scroll, ink on paper, Japan, Edo period, Kaei 6 (1853), owned by Nezu Museum
Characters in Buddhist Paintings
Characters written in Buddhist paintings include citations from scriptures, name tags to distinguish numerous revered figures, and sometimes Bonji (Siddham script) known as shuji. In the Edo period, it was also common to depict Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Five Hundred Arhats by writing continuous sutras.
← View enlarged image on the top poster image.
Kagamiyama-zu (Mirror Mountain Painting), 1 hanging scroll, color on paper, Japan, Kamakura period, 13th-14th century, owned by Nezu Museum
Waka Poems in Landscapes
The practice of composing waka poems to match depicted famous places or scenery and writing them into paintings became popular in the mid-Heian period. Works that can be called a duet of painting and waka, based on this tradition, can be seen in picture scrolls of the Kamakura period and folding screen paintings of the early modern period.
In this exhibition, four similar works (including "Kagamiyama-zu," along with "Kusabana-zu" (Flowers and Grass Painting), "Koubai-zu" (Red Plum Painting), and "Kaihin-zu" (Coastal Landscape Painting)) that were originally part of a single picture scroll and later made into hanging scrolls, will be displayed simultaneously for the first time.
Characters in Crafts
Important Cultural Property: Arareji Matsubai-zu Magata Gama (Hailstone Pattern Pine and Plum Design Kettle), by Ashiya O-e Nobuhide, 1 kettle, iron, Japan, Muromachi period, Eisho 14 (1517), owned by Nezu Museum
Inscriptions (Meibun)
Meibun (inscriptions) in crafts correspond to rakkan in paintings. Their history dates back to ancient Chinese bronze ware. They include not only the names of the creator or owner but also the purpose of creation, the patron, and the place of use, serving as important keys to understanding the provenance of the work.
Important Cultural Property: Hanashirakawa Makie Suzuribako (Hanashirakawa Lacquerware Writing Box), 1 box, wood with lacquer, Japan, Muromachi period, 15th century, owned by Nezu Museum (on display from May 30 to June 21)
Characters Inscribed on Vessels
There are also characters on everyday tools and vessels. Stationery, in particular, often features designs incorporating poetry. Some evoke a single waka poem from a few characters hidden in a design. Characters like "壽" (longevity) and "福" (fortune) were designed as auspicious motifs on vessels.
Related Events
Please apply for participation through each application form on our museum's website under "Event Information." Applications open on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at 1:00 PM.
Slide Lecture "Introduction to Ancient Art Appreciation – Characters in Art –"
Date and Time
・Friday, June 12, 2026, and Friday, June 26, 2026
Both from 11:30 AM to 12:15 PM. *Both sessions will cover the same content.
Venue
Nezu Museum Auditorium
*A curator will provide exhibition commentary using slides. Each lecture will have the same content.
*Participation is free, but museum admission is required.