‘The heart is like the calligrapher’s brush.’ This shikishi artwork print by Kōshō Shimizu (清水公照, 1911–1999), a renowned Zen Buddhist priest and artist who served as the Head Priest (Kan’in Jūshoku) of Tōdaiji Temple (東大寺) in Nara, one of Japan’s most important Buddhist temples.
The piece depicts two wild boars (inoshishi) — the zodiac animal for the Year of the Boar — energetically charging across stylized green hills. The larger boar leads with bold determination while the smaller one follows closely, their bodies rendered in swift, rhythmic strokes of black ink and soft washes of pink and grey. Green and gold accents on the hills add a sense of vitality and movement, while the spirited brushwork conveys a joyful, unrestrained energy.
Shimizu Kōshō was known for his philosophy that art and faith are inseparable — that true religious expression manifests not only through words or rituals but through creative acts that reflect a liberated, compassionate heart. His paintings and calligraphy often combine humor, warmth, and Zen insight, making the sacred approachable and vividly human.
This shikishi exemplifies that spirit. The boars, painted with a sense of playful strength and spontaneity, embody endurance and forward motion — qualities celebrated in Japanese culture as virtues of the inoshishi. The result is a piece that radiates life, simplicity, and the unselfconscious energy of Zen brushwork.
