A rare masterpiece in the Seattle Art Museum’s collection, Poem Scroll with Deer (known as Deer Scroll) was created by two prominent artists: calligrapher Hon’ami Kōetsu and painter Tawaraya Sōtatsu. On seventy-two feet of paper, Sōtatsu used gold and silver pigments to depict deer in various poses, jumping, standing, alone, in a crowd or calling out to each other. He also decorated the reverse side with square-shaped gold and silver leaves. On this scroll, Kōetsu transcribed twenty-eight autumn poems selected from the thirteenth-century Japanese classic Shin KokinshÅ« (New Anthology of Classical and Modern Japanese Poetry), also referred to as waka poetry. SAM owns the second half of the original scroll, which is approximately thirty feet long.

Kōetsu and Sōtatsu worked on several projects together, and the Deer Scroll represents their most successful collaboration. It combines the image of the deer, a symbol for autumn in Japan, with the calligraphy of a selection of waka poems that also refers to autumn. The scroll was created during a time when Japanese artists were concerned with revising the classic culture and art. The beautiful harmony of Kōetsu’s rhythmic calligraphy and Sōtatsu’s charming deer embodies the fresh sensibility of the time, often referred to as the Japanese Renaissance. The artists’ decorative sense and style, now called the Rimpa style, influenced later generations of artists.

Conservation work conducted on SAM’s section of the scroll during 2003–2004 recovered the harmonies of gold, silver and ink on the cream-white paper and also revealed Kōetsu’s written signature that was hidden on the wooden roller.

Hon’ami Kōetsu
(1558–1637)

Kōetsu was born in 1558 into a wealthy and established family of sword connoisseurs in Kyoto, who appraised, polished and preserved the sword. His family was also known as ardent worshippers of the Hokke denomination of Buddhism. Although he took over the family sword business, he is best known for his work as a calligrapher, potter and designer of lacquerware. As a calligrapher, he revered the traditional styles and the works of ancient master calligraphers. He developed his original style characterized by strong and free brushwork, which established Kōetsu as one of the “Three Brushes from the Kan’ei Era (1624–29)”. The section of the Deer Scroll owned by SAM, contains the inscription “TokuyÅ«sai,” which was one of his pseudonyms. He learned the art of tea and studied with the tea master Furuta Oribe, and created raku tea bowls in his retirement at Takagamine, Kyoto. It is also known that he created an innovative style of lacquerware, which is now named Kōetsu makie. As an educated person and a versatile artist with diverse interests, Kōetsu was a leading figure of the cultured people in Kyoto, who masterfully created an elegant and impressive decorative style that was applied to painting,  lacquer, ceramic and textiles and is now known as the Rimpa style.

Kōetsu’s Calligraphy
The style of handwriting seen here, known as sōsho or cursive style, requires a high degree of artistic skill. Formed by an irregular or free arrangement of letters, this is called chirashi gaki or scattered writing, which is used for writing waka poems and letters during the eleventh century in Japan.


Kōetsu rendered waka poems in a harmony of fluid Japanese hiragana syllabaries and bold Chinese characters, with a variation of thick and thin ink color. This technique reflects Kōetsu’s strong artistic sensibility and experience. Kōetsu studied various calligraphic styles ranging from popular contemporary to ancient, such as the work of Buddhist priest KÅ«kai (774–835) and Chinese Song dynasty calligrapher Zhang Jizhi (1186–1263). Based on the study of classic calligraphy, Kōetsu crafted his own original style showing a forceful and rhythmic beauty. More important, his unique work reflects his attitude toward calligraphy as a means of his artistic expression. The Deer Scroll illustrates his calligraphy at the height of his aesthetic art.

Tawaraya Sōtatsu
(active in early 17th century)

Little is known about Sōtatsu’s personal and family history, but a few records reveal that he owned a shop in Kyoto that sold paintings, decorated fans and papers. Sōtatsu’s ability to create innovative designs and work with rich colors caused a sensation, making him a popular towns-painter. As a skillful artist, he belonged to a rising social class called machishÅ« or townspeople, who led cultural activities in town. Early in his life, Sōtatsu collaborated with Hon’ami Kōetsu on the Deer Scroll and other works.These works are characterized by his motifs painted exclusively in gold and silver, while his body of work can be recognized by his usage of materials ranging from small paper strips and fans to large screens, rendered in color and ink. Sōtatsu’s bold design and delicate sensibility give his paintings a sense of lively motion on the paper as well as an expansive feeling of vast space.

He is regarded as a co-founder with Hon’ami Kōetsu of the Rimpa style, which influenced many renowned past and present- day artists. A round seal of Inen, which appears on the SAM’s section of the Deer Scroll, is thought to have been used by Sōtatsu and his followers.