Think of Death
Few people contemplate death, viewing it as something distant
and ephemeral, so there's no point in worrying about it. There's still
a wealth of time--and shouldn't we simply enjoy life, every moment of it,
instead of pondering on sad things?
But our life is an extremely fragile substance, a thread that can tear at the most
unexpected and inconvenient moment. And then it turns out that we
haven't conceived life and simply wasted the precious
time on mundane fuss, never really having lived as a free person...
Unlike most people, the samurai comprehended the innermost meaning of death
like no other; from a very young age they learned to treat it not like
a nemesis and the worst tragedy that should be avoided at all costs,
but like the final brightest point in their honorable life filled with great
deeds. Only death could help their noble and courageous souls ascend
into a completely different plane of being and reach the level of
gods. The realization that death is constantly lurking nearby and is inevitable helped them to be
active, strive for perfection and never betray the ideals of bushido
for earthly matters.
Practically every samurai author writes about it, and thid
painting is inspired by Yamamoto Tsunetomo's thoughts expressed in Hagakure. Meditation on death and mental preparation for it were freeing samurai’s soul and making mind crystal:
"If by setting one’s heart right every morning and evening, one is able to live as though his body were already dead, he pains freedom in the Way. His whole life will be without blame, and he will succeed in his calling."
Yamamoto Tsunetomo, Hagakure
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Prints
Postcards
Size: A5
Price: $ 5
20 postcards: $ 80! (+ the price of delivery)
Original traditional painting
The art can be painted on canvas or on paper with acrylics.
To find out more details and the price, message us!
See examples in the Photo section and our videos on Youtube