Ono Tōfū

▪ Japanese calligrapher

born 894, Japan

died 964, Japan

      Japanese calligrapher known as one of the Sanseki (“Three Brush Traces”), in effect the first calligraphers of the age. The others were Fujiwara Yukinari and Fujiwara Sukemasa, and the three perfected the style of writing called jōdai-yō (“ancient style”).

      Ono was the son of a high government official. His writing, which departed from the traditional Chinese style, may be regarded as the model for subsequent Japanese calligraphy. His extant works include “Chishō daishi shigō chokusho” (“Imperial Rescript on the Posthumous Name for Chishō the Great Teacher”), dated 927, owned by the Tokyo National Museum; “Byōbu jōdai” (“Ancient Folding Screen”), a poem dated 928 and owned by the Imperial Household; “Gyokusen-cho” (“Album of the Pure Spring”) owned by the Imperial Household; and “Haku-shi santai-shi kan.”

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