Nishikawa Yasushi

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Nishikawa Yasushi ( Japanese 西川 寧 , first name: Yasushi (安 叔), stage name : Seian (靖 闇); born January 25, 1902 in Tōkyō ; died May 16, 1989 ) was an outstanding Japanese calligrapher of the 20th century, connoisseur of inscriptions , China scholar.

life and work

Nishikawa Yasushi was the son of the calligrapher Nishikawa Shundō (西川 春 洞; 1847-1915), who was his teacher from an early age. Yasushi graduated from Keiō University in 1920 . During the Pacific War he stayed in Beijing on a government scholarship in 1940, studied Chinese literature, dealt with ancient Chinese bronzes and with inscriptions carved in stone.

From 1943 Nishikawa taught at the Keiō University. In 1960 he received his doctorate with a thesis on excavations in Xiyu .

Nishikawa became a leading figure in the field of calligraphy, both in terms of Chinese styles and his own works. He is adoringly called the "giant of calligraphy" (書 の 巨人, Sho no Kyojin).

Nishikawa wrote numerous writings, including a. "The changing form of calligraphy" (書 の 変 相, Sho no hensō), 1960.

Awards and honors

Web links (images)

literature

  • S. Noma (Ed.): Nishikawa Yasushi . In: Japan. An Illustrated Encyclopedia. Kodansha, 1993, ISBN 4-06-205938-X , p. 933.
  • Tazawa, Yutaka: Nishikawa Yasushi . In: Biographical Dictionary of Japanese Art. Kodansha International, 1981. ISBN 0-87011-488-3 . P. 363.