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Soga Shohaku

Handwritten Letter

c. 1754
Two hanging scrolls, ink on paper
121.3 × 54.5 cm (47.8 × 21.5 in)

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In the collection of Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · as of July 2026

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FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

Japanese painter Soga Shōhaku was and remains well-known for his artwork, but his personal life is largely mysterious. These scrolls feature the only surviving letters by the artist, and one includes his only known self-portrait. The artist is corresponding with a friend, Shinsuke Konishi (1738–1807). In the first letter, written on New Year’s Day, Shōhaku asks Shinsuke for sake and art supplies. In the second, he thanks his friend for the gift with a poem and a self-portrait. The drawing shows Shōhaku drinking sake next to a large barrel of it, topped with a plum branch for the New Year.

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