Goshin Also Known as Kyuka

JAPAN; Edo period

This seal, carved for the artist’s personal use, features two colums of six characters engraved in small seal script. As indicated by their structure, the characters were carved in accordance to the scripting styles of the period in which the seal was created. Characters with more strokes have contiguous lines, allowing the overall composition of the piece to appear visually balanced and commodious. The artist’s seasoned carving skills are apparent in the strong lines and precise angles of the curved turns and ends of each smoothly executed stroke.
Goshin Genmyo was also known as Kyuka or Raian, among other names. He was a monk and seal engraver of the Edo period (1615–1868) of Japan, born in Matsusaka. Goshin renounced at the age of ten, succeeding the lineage of Shoten Gento. He was accomplished in several different artistic disciplines and learned seal engraving under calligraphy and seal art masters Hosoi Kotaku and Mosho Niioko.