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Colors and Shapes in Chikudō gafu: Visual Dimensions of Edo-Period Sinitic Poetry
October 30
Yoshitaka Yamamoto
Assistant Professor, Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures, Yale University
Calligraphy and painting albums were all the craze in early nineteenth-century Japan. Literati of various social backgrounds collected poems and paintings brushed by othre literati and put them into blank accordion books or albums. Against the backdrop, commercial publishers produced multicolor, woodblock-printed calligraphy and painting albums that showcased works by renowned contemporary Japanese scholars and artists. This presentation will examine some of the paintings, Sinitic poems, and seals reproduced in two such printed albums, Chikudō gafu (Chikudō’s Painting Manual, 1800) and its sequel (1815), to explore what they reveal about the visual dimensions of Sinitic poetry. In late Edo-period Japan, the literati ideals of eschewing vulgarity and cultivating oneself existed and circulated not as abstract concepts, but in the tangible form of vivid colors and dynamic shapes, thanks in part to the worldly marketplace of literari merchandise.
Pre-register here. Seating is limited. Preregistration will close on Tuesday 10/28. Only active Columbia University ID holders may attend as walk-ins.
Thursday, 30 October 2025, 6:00PM
Location: Fayerweather Hall, Room 301M
