Scene from “Tales of Ise”

Subject Matter:

"Ise monogatari (The tales of Ise) is a collection of some 125 brief episodes, combining elements of prose and poetry, that dates from the early Heian period (9th−10th centuries). The protagonist is believed to be modeled on Ariwarano Narihira (825−80), a handsome aristocrat who had many romantic affairs. The main character’s romances, friendships, heartbroken wandering life, and various other stories are narrated in a style that owes much to waka (literally, Japanese poems). The work had a great influence on later Japanese literature, including Genji monogatari (The tale of Genji)."
 

“The Tales of Ise.” World Digital Library, National Diet Library. www.wdl.org/en/item/11826/.

Physical Description:

This painting shows five figures in conflict. Set in a background of clouds, two individuals sit upon the clouds in the sky looking down on three individuals who appear to be rushing into ambush. The two figures on the cloud above on the upper left can be concluded to be divine beings in conversation with each other and wearing elaborate garments. The three individuals on the bottom right appear to be mortal, wielding weapons and wearing very little clothing. There appear to be no inscriptions. 

Usage Rights:

If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit https://umma.umich.edu/request-image/ for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.