Inaba Shinden | Circle
Inaba Shinden’s family were farmers in rural Aichi province. In 1916, Shinden was ten years old, they were sent to Taiwan as colonists. While the family took over land eastern Taiwan, they boy was sent to a recently established Zen Temple in Taipei. Abbot Nagatani Jien took care of the novice, and when Jien died from the Spanish Flu in 1918 his successor Yamazaki Taiko became Shinden’s teacher and later his friend. After graduation in 1921 they both – if not together – returned to Japan where Taiko followed his monastic career and Shinden his studies before also taking monastic duties.
Yamazaki Taiko was Shinden’s early teacher, life-long friend, but also the one who opened Shinden’s eyes for the art of calligraphy. This was a turning point in Shinden’s life. The second was Seki Seisetsu, the abbot of Tenryuji. He opened Shinden’s heart for the art of painting as a true, deep, and unhindered expression of this Zen mind.
Inaba Shinden (1906-1986)
Circle (Enso), ink on paper
33.5 x 51.7 cm (13 ¼ x 20 ¼ in.)
Mounting 113 x 54.5 cm (44½ x 21½ in.)
Wooden box
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