Empress Kômyô
Kōno Bairei
Description
Subject Matter:
Kono Bairei was a member of the Ukiyo-e school and was a master of Kacho-e style of painting that focused on birds and flowers unlike this painting here. That said, Kacho-e is inspired much by the Buddhist religion which bears much connection to the woman in the piece. The painting's subject, Empress Komyo (as indicated by the title) was an empress during the Nara period and was a devout Buddhist as well as a calligrapher. There are many legends about her dedication to the religion as well as an infamous instance where she helped Ashuku Nyorai, perhaps the man painted beside her in this hanging scroll.
Physical Description:
This is a hanging scroll depicting two figures and a nature scene in ink and color. The two figures at the bottom of the scroll appear to be a man and a woman. The man is thin and painted primarily in brown. The woman beside him wears an ornate-looking kimono with a pink garment. They are both seated and looking towards a river in the distance. There is an inscription on the bottom left in two lines with a seal on the lefthand line.
Usage Rights:
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