Scene from “Imperial Visit to Rokuhara,” from The Tale of the Heiji Rebellion (Heiji monogatari)

18th century
Not on view
The Tale of the Heiji Rebellion tells the story of a short civil war (1159–60) fought in Kyoto between two rival clans, headed by the warriors Minamoto no Yoshitomo and Taira no Kiyomori. The “Imperial Visit to Rokuhara” chapter deals with the escape of Emperor Nijō and his empress consort from the imperial palace, where they had been kept in captivity by the Minamoto clan, and their move to Kiyomori’s residence in the Rokuhara district. The Taira forces managed to smuggle the emperor out of the palace disguised as a lady-in-waiting. The dynamic composition and detailed depiction of the warriors suggest the tense atmosphere during the upheaval.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • 「六波羅行幸」 平治物語絵巻 断簡
  • Title: Scene from “Imperial Visit to Rokuhara,” from The Tale of the Heiji Rebellion (Heiji monogatari)
  • Period: Edo period (1615–1868)
  • Date: 18th century
  • Culture: Japan
  • Medium: Handscroll segment mounted as a hanging scroll; ink and color on paper
  • Dimensions: 11 3/4 x 35 1/4 in. (29.8 x 89.6 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: H. O. Havemeyer Collection, Bequest of Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, 1929
  • Object Number: 29.100.475
  • Curatorial Department: Asian Art

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