Gallery of prints for sale

Tuesday, 3 December 2024

Prince Arisugawa Taruhito, brushed ink calligraphy, c.1850–95

Prince Arisugawa Taruhito (有栖川宮熾仁親王, Arisugawa-no-miya Taruhito-Shinnō) (1835-1895)—a well-documented Japanese Imperial Prince and heir to the throne.

Brushed ink calligraphy on washi paper laid onto a support sheet, c.1850–95.

Size: (without support sheet) 32 x 114cm.

Regarding a translation of the calligraphy, I may be far from correct, but I suspect that the meaning relates to the Chinese adage for military folk: “Live in the camp of Cao, but one’s heart still longs for the camp of Han”. In short, wherever you are you will long for a different place, or, “the grass is always greener on the other side”. My sincere apologies if I’m completely wrong about this.

Condition: there are fractures, tears and stains (mainly at the far edges), otherwise the sheet is in a good condition for its considerable age and size.

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A brief biography of Prince Arisugawa Taruhito

Born as an Imperial Prince and adopted by Emperor Ninkō, as a potential heir to the throne. His military career began with his participation in the pivotal Battle of Toba–Fushimi, a conflict that played a crucial role in the upheaval of the Tokugawa shogunate.

In recognition of his leadership and contributions, he was awarded the honorary rank of general in 1878 after successfully commanding the central government army against the insurrection led by Saigō Takamori during the Satsuma Rebellion of 1877. His military prowess continued to be evident when he served as the commander-in-chief of Japanese forces in the First Sino-Japanese War.

In addition to his military accomplishments, Prince Arisugawa Taruhito was recognized for his diplomatic efforts, notably meeting with Tsar Alexander III in St. Petersburg, Russia, as the official envoy representing Emperor Meiji. This engagement reflected his significant role in forging international relations during a transformative period for Japan.

Posthumously, his contributions were honoured when Emperor Meiji awarded him the prestigious Collar of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum, solidifying his legacy in Japanese history.

For more detailed information, please refer to the sources from [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Arisugawa_Taruhito) and [Invaluable Auctions](https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/prince-arisugawa-taruhito-1835-1895-and-yamagata--195-c-d974bb3898).

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I am selling this unique sheet of confidently bold calligraphy by an historically significant, Japanese prince, military leader and the official envoy representing Emperor Meiji in talks with Tsar Alexander III in St. Petersburg, for AU$325 in total (currently US$210.71/ EUR200.60/ GBP166.39 at the time of this listing) including Express Mail (EMS) postage and handling to anywhere in the world, but not (of course) any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries. Note that payment is in Australian dollars (AU$325) as this is my currency.

If you are interested in purchasing this extraordinary piece of calligraphy of exceptional rarity, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.









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