Japanese Narrative Handscroll
Item Details
A 19th century Japanese narrative handscroll featuring various fairy tales and episodes from Japanese history. The scroll is composed of several woodblock prints, mounted together to form a long handscroll. Many of the characters and locations are indicated by vertical inscriptions. The first episode in the scroll is from the fairy tale My Lord Bag of Rice. The warrior Fujiwara no Hidesato (藤原秀郷) is on the Seta Bridge (瀬田) preparing to battle a giant centipede, while the dragon princess (龍女, ryūnyo) stands by. The next scene shows the warrior monk Benkei (弁慶, 1155-1189) stealing the large bonshō bell from the Midera Temple (三井) while a figure looks on helplessly. The next scene is based on the historical Battle of Awazu (粟津の戦い Awadzu no tatakai) and shows the fearsome, female samurai warrior Tomoe Gozen (巴御前, circa 1157-1247) fighting alongside Minamoto no Yoshinaka (源 義仲, 1154-1184). Another scene features Akechi Samanosuke (明智左馬之助, circa 1536-1582, also known as Akechi Hidemitsu), a samurai with his horse along the banks of Lake Biwa near the village of Karasaki (唐崎). Later, the scroll also features Murasaki Shikibu (紫式部 circa 973 or 978-circa 1014 or 1031) the author of the world’s first novel The Tale of Genij. She is depicted wearing an elaborate, layered kimono while seated at her writing desk.
Condition
- to fair; wear; discolorations; tears.
Dimensions
- measured scroll unrolled.
Item #
16CLE030-248
