Renowned for his highly dynamic and personal calligraphy, this work by Takahashi Deishū showcases a cursive style of great stylization. The rapid, flowing brushwork and broken lines make it particularly challenging to read or transcribe.

Born in the city of Edo 江戸 into a samurai family, Deishū was a martial artist and served the last shōgun of Japan during the 1860s. After the shogunate fell in 1868, he retired in Tokyo and devoted himself fully to calligraphy, painting, and collecting antiques.

The verse he inscribes in this piece is taken from the poem Inscription on the Bamboo Hall of Su Tingzao 題蘇庭藻竹堂, composed during the Song dynasty 宋 by Zhou Fu 周孚.