Lot Essay
This is the left-hand screen of a pair with portraits of the Thirty-six Immortal Poets. The eighteen poets on this screen face towards the right, or center. (Their counterparts on the right-hand screen would be facing toward the left). Each poet is identified by name with an accompanying waka, a brief, 31-syllable Japanese poem. From right to left they are: Ise (a woman), Ki no Tsurayuki, Bishop Henjo, Ki no Tomonori, Yamabe no Akahito, Fujiwara no Asatada, Fujiwara no Takamistu, Ono no Komachi (a woman), Nakatsukasa (a woman), Mibu no Tadamine, Onakatomi no Yorimoto, Minamoto no Shigeyuki, Kiyohara no Motosuke, Minamoto no Saneakira, Mibu no Tadami, Minamoto no Shitagau, Fujiwara no Motozane, and Fujiwara no Nakafumi. All wear costumes appropriate to the nobility of the Heian period.
The Thirty-Six Immortal Poets (Sanjurakkasen) are outstanding Japanese poets (five of them women) from the time of the 8th-century Man'yoshu anthology to the end of the 10th century. They were first listed as a group in an 11th century compilation of poems by the influential critic and poet Fujiwara no Kinto (966-1041). Kinto chose about 150 poems, including 3 to 5 of the best poems of each poet. These poets became a favored topic with artists. The earliest extant paintings of the 36 as a fictitious "group" date from the 13th-century and were inspired by a new interest in traditions of the past. Poets and poetesses were often paired off on handscrolls, as though in a imaginary competition, with two teams ("left" and "right"). One poem was written next to each seated figure - an integration of painting, poetry and calligraphy - with the poets arranged sequentially.
The earliest known depiction of the thirty-six immortal poets in the screen format is a pair dating from the first decade of the 17th- century with painting in the style of Kano Takanobu (d. 1618) and calligraphy attributed to Konoe Nobutada (1565-1614). When the poets were transferred from the scroll to the screen format, it became apparent that artists were no longer content with simply lining them up in a row; areas of overlap began to threaten the independence of the single poet and eroded the traditional format. The new trend toward arranging the poets in a group collage suggests a shift in attitude toward classical poetry.
This screen included three of the women poets and one of the two priest-poets. There are no tatami mats nor any indication of a setting, but the poets are presumably indoors. We can feel the effort that went into the artful arrangement of the composition. (Even the poems are also staggered to create an interesting, asymmetrical composition). The seated figures twist in various directions. Their poses are rather informal, injecting a touch of humor. One actually turns his back to us, a novel approach to portraiture. Some have their mouths open, as though reciting a poem, others gesticulate toward one another in friendly fashion, or bend their heads together in animated conversation. Dialogue serves as a compositional technique. One poet is sunk deep in comtemplation, his head resting on his hand. Still others rest their chin on the wood scepter propped up in their lap. Eyes are sometimes closed, as though the poet were lost in creative thought (or perhaps just dozing).
The men are shown interacting with one another, either chatting together or physically overalpping. The women, on the other hand, are solitary, isolated in their own private time and space, enveloped in and immobilized by voluminous court costumes. At the far right is Lady Ise, who served at court during the last decade of the 9th century. She is said to be the mother of the poetess shown at the far left, Nakatsukasa. Ise's melancholy love poem reads: Miwa no yama, ika ni machimu, toshi futo mo, tazunuru hito mo araji to omoeba (How can I continue waiting at Mount Miwa when I know that though the years will pass there will be no visitor). The poem was recorded first in the Kokinshu anthology, compiled during her lifetime, with a headnote stating that it was sent to Lord Nakahira with whom she had been on intimate terms, when he broke off with her and when she was about to depart for the residence of her father, governor of Yamato province, south of the capital. Mount Miwa is located in the southern part of this province.
The 9th-century poetess Ono no Komachi (in the third panel from the right) was a renowned beauty known for her cruel and heartless treatment of her lovers. Her poems are filled with a melancholy passion. Here, she is shown with head bowed and eyes downcast, gazing at the open fan. The classical poets of hoary antiquity are recast as realistic, contemporary types. The 17th century artist enjoyed traditional culture enough to have fun with it; he could safely humanize this sacred symbol of the intelligentsia. In the later Edo period the thirty-six poets were often treated in an even more lighthearted way and were blatantly parodied in unceremonious poses.
The Thirty-Six Immortal Poets (Sanjurakkasen) are outstanding Japanese poets (five of them women) from the time of the 8th-century Man'yoshu anthology to the end of the 10th century. They were first listed as a group in an 11th century compilation of poems by the influential critic and poet Fujiwara no Kinto (966-1041). Kinto chose about 150 poems, including 3 to 5 of the best poems of each poet. These poets became a favored topic with artists. The earliest extant paintings of the 36 as a fictitious "group" date from the 13th-century and were inspired by a new interest in traditions of the past. Poets and poetesses were often paired off on handscrolls, as though in a imaginary competition, with two teams ("left" and "right"). One poem was written next to each seated figure - an integration of painting, poetry and calligraphy - with the poets arranged sequentially.
The earliest known depiction of the thirty-six immortal poets in the screen format is a pair dating from the first decade of the 17th- century with painting in the style of Kano Takanobu (d. 1618) and calligraphy attributed to Konoe Nobutada (1565-1614). When the poets were transferred from the scroll to the screen format, it became apparent that artists were no longer content with simply lining them up in a row; areas of overlap began to threaten the independence of the single poet and eroded the traditional format. The new trend toward arranging the poets in a group collage suggests a shift in attitude toward classical poetry.
This screen included three of the women poets and one of the two priest-poets. There are no tatami mats nor any indication of a setting, but the poets are presumably indoors. We can feel the effort that went into the artful arrangement of the composition. (Even the poems are also staggered to create an interesting, asymmetrical composition). The seated figures twist in various directions. Their poses are rather informal, injecting a touch of humor. One actually turns his back to us, a novel approach to portraiture. Some have their mouths open, as though reciting a poem, others gesticulate toward one another in friendly fashion, or bend their heads together in animated conversation. Dialogue serves as a compositional technique. One poet is sunk deep in comtemplation, his head resting on his hand. Still others rest their chin on the wood scepter propped up in their lap. Eyes are sometimes closed, as though the poet were lost in creative thought (or perhaps just dozing).
The men are shown interacting with one another, either chatting together or physically overalpping. The women, on the other hand, are solitary, isolated in their own private time and space, enveloped in and immobilized by voluminous court costumes. At the far right is Lady Ise, who served at court during the last decade of the 9th century. She is said to be the mother of the poetess shown at the far left, Nakatsukasa. Ise's melancholy love poem reads: Miwa no yama, ika ni machimu, toshi futo mo, tazunuru hito mo araji to omoeba (How can I continue waiting at Mount Miwa when I know that though the years will pass there will be no visitor). The poem was recorded first in the Kokinshu anthology, compiled during her lifetime, with a headnote stating that it was sent to Lord Nakahira with whom she had been on intimate terms, when he broke off with her and when she was about to depart for the residence of her father, governor of Yamato province, south of the capital. Mount Miwa is located in the southern part of this province.
The 9th-century poetess Ono no Komachi (in the third panel from the right) was a renowned beauty known for her cruel and heartless treatment of her lovers. Her poems are filled with a melancholy passion. Here, she is shown with head bowed and eyes downcast, gazing at the open fan. The classical poets of hoary antiquity are recast as realistic, contemporary types. The 17th century artist enjoyed traditional culture enough to have fun with it; he could safely humanize this sacred symbol of the intelligentsia. In the later Edo period the thirty-six poets were often treated in an even more lighthearted way and were blatantly parodied in unceremonious poses.