Shozo Also Known As Shurai

JAPAN; Edo period

This seal features a thick border that contrasts with the fine lines of the six neatly arranged seal script characters. Differing from the usual layout of seals from this time period, the artist included both of his names on the surface. In addition, the characters are positioned with a substantial amount of space in between one another. The lines are mellow and meandering, following the seal engraving culture seen in the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1911) dynasties in China.
Itsuzan Mokuin had an original name of Morimoto and was also known as Shozo or Shurai. He was a Zen monk from Osaka during the Edo period (1615–1868). He renounced in 1738 after the passing of his mother, and subsequently lived in seclusion on Koyasan (South Mountain) for many years. Itsuzan later traveled extensively and diligently studied Zen Buddhism, calligraphy, and painting. In his later years, he moved to Kyoto and Osaka and worked to develop his own seal engraving style. His written works include Shurai Seal Collection, Kinsenfu Seal Collection, Ancient Seal Analects, and Comparison of the Thousand Character Classics.