著者

辻 惟雄

雑誌

美術研究 = The bijutsu kenkiu : the journal of art studies

巻号頁・発行日

no.225, pp.31-39, 1963-10-30

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Much is left unknown about the life and career of IWASA Matabei (1578—1650), the artist famous for the popular belief that he was the originator of Ukiyo-e. Information about his life at Fukui, more especially, where he spent more than twenty years, is almost entirely absent. In this respect the document discussed here, preserved at the Hōunji in Fukui Prefecture, is very inspiring. This manuscript is a duplicate of a written statement presented in 1633 from the Hōun-ji to MATSUDAIRA Tadamasa, ruler of the Fukui Fief, describing a dispute between the Hōun-ji and the Senshū-ji, a temple at Ishinden in Mie Prefecture with which it competed for position as the head temple of the Takata School of Shingon Buddhism. The sentence at the end proves that this statement was hand-written by Matabei on behalf of the temple authorities. Comparison of the calligraphic style of this manuscript with that of other existing examples of Matabei's calligraphy ―― the inscriptions on his portraits of Hitomaro and Tsurayuki, and a letter written by him in his late years, both being in the collection of the Atami Art Museum ―― reveals many distinctive characteristics in common between them. Another evidence of his calligraphic style is the Kaikoku Michi no Ki, an itinerary in Matabei's own handwriting describing his travel in 1639 from Fukui to Edo (Tokyo). Unfortunately this itinerary is now somewhere in America and its present location is unknown (according to one theory, it was formerly in the collection of Mr. Charles J. Morse), but comparison between a small photogravure reproduction of a part of it and the manuscript under discussion shows obvious identity of calligraphic style. These materials establish with fair accuracy that the newly discovered manuscript is by Matabei's hand. Though its contents do not have direct connection with Matabei's biography, this manuscript is a material evidence proving that he was staying at Fukui in about 1633 and that he had certain relation with the Fukui Fief. It is valuable as one of the few authentic specimens of his calligraphy, and is an interesting source of information proving that he was esteemed by local people not only as a mere artist but as an intelligent man from the metropolis, Kyoto.