Japan

Japanese Hanging Scroll

A Tameie Kasen hanging scroll was stolen during shipment from Tokyo, Japan, to Boston, Massachusetts, on December 20, 1999. The hanging scroll, or kakemono, is dated to the Kamakura Period of the 14th century. The ink on paper artwork is approximately 11 1/3 x 12 1/2 inches in size.

It is believed that the artist, Fujiwara Tameie, drew pictures of 36 poets in the 14th century and that this scroll is one of those drawings. The scroll depicts a priest whose name, Nyokaku, is written in the Chinese character located above him. The letters on the priest's left side are Tanka, a Japanese verse of 31 syllables. The Tanka roughly translates to "Though plum blossoms have fallen while spring has gone, its fragrance still remains on the sprays".

Japanese Hanging Scroll
Ink on Paper
11 1/3 x 12 1/2

If you have any information regarding this theft, please contact your local FBI Office or United States Embassy.