Three Old Men in Formal, Semiformal, and Informal Styles - 三老人真行草 (San Rōjin Shin-Gyō-Sō)
One Hundred Pictures by Kyōsai (暁斎百図, Kyōsai Hyakuzu) - Plate 8
One Hundred Pictures by Kyōsai (暁斎百図, Kyōsai Hyakuzu) - Plate 8
In this witty composition, Kawanabe Kyōsai portrays three elderly men personifying the three classic calligraphic styles — shin (formal), gyō (semiformal), and sō (cursive or informal). Each figure embodies a different degree of decorum and freedom: one upright and precise, one relaxed, one delightfully unrestrained. A minogame turtle of longevity pours sake for them, linking humor with auspicious symbolism.
Kyōsai transforms calligraphic terminology into a moral allegory about aging, discipline, and the art of letting go — a satire on social and aesthetic conventions rendered with his characteristic blend of wit and vitality. This print belongs to the celebrated series One Hundred Pictures by Kyōsai (Kyōsai Hyakuzu).
Kawanabe Kyōsai
Woodblock print, ca. 1863–1866
From the series: One Hundred Pictures by Kyōsai (暁斎百図, Kyōsai Hyakuzu)
Format: small-format sheet (koban-ban), first edition
Publisher: Wakasaya Yoichi (若狭屋与市)
Dimensions: approx. 13 × 18 cm
Medium: polychrome woodblock print (nishiki-e) on handmade washi paper
Edition & Printing Details
This sheet belongs to the first edition of Kyōsai Hyakuzu, published between 1863–1866.
Note
This description is part of an evolving research project. Very few collections of this kind exist worldwide, and each newly studied sheet refines our understanding of the series. The catalogue will be continuously updated and expanded — leaving room for fresh interpretations, new connections, and unexpected discoveries that keep the collection alive and intriguing.
Kyōsai transforms calligraphic terminology into a moral allegory about aging, discipline, and the art of letting go — a satire on social and aesthetic conventions rendered with his characteristic blend of wit and vitality. This print belongs to the celebrated series One Hundred Pictures by Kyōsai (Kyōsai Hyakuzu).
Kawanabe Kyōsai
Woodblock print, ca. 1863–1866
From the series: One Hundred Pictures by Kyōsai (暁斎百図, Kyōsai Hyakuzu)
Format: small-format sheet (koban-ban), first edition
Publisher: Wakasaya Yoichi (若狭屋与市)
Dimensions: approx. 13 × 18 cm
Medium: polychrome woodblock print (nishiki-e) on handmade washi paper
Edition & Printing Details
This sheet belongs to the first edition of Kyōsai Hyakuzu, published between 1863–1866.
Note
This description is part of an evolving research project. Very few collections of this kind exist worldwide, and each newly studied sheet refines our understanding of the series. The catalogue will be continuously updated and expanded — leaving room for fresh interpretations, new connections, and unexpected discoveries that keep the collection alive and intriguing.