In the Edo period (1603-1868), the Kohitsu family was established to serve as vocational appraisers and curators of the calligraphic arts coinciding with the popularity of appreciating and collecting "Kohitsugire," fragments of old writings and calligraphy which were seen as works of art in their own right.
The Century Akao Collection, which was donated to Keio University by the Century Cultural Foundation in 2021, contains a vast amount of materials and records accumulated by the Kohitsu family over a period of about 300 years from the early Edo period to the Showa period. While sorting and arranging these materials is an ongoing process, they are of immeasurable academic value. This exhibition will introduce visitors to the work of the members of the Kohitsu family and the culture of calligraphic appraisal, with displays of works from Keio University's own holdings, while also exhibiting a sample of the Kohitsu family's materials for the first time.
Century Akao Collection × Institute of Oriental Classics (Shido Bunko) Identifying Hands: Attributional Culture and the Kohitsu Family (April 18 - June 24)
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