Artwork
一の谷合戦図屏風|The Battle at Ichinotani, from The Tale of the Heike (Heike monogatari)
一の谷合戦図屏風|The Battle at Ichinotani, from The Tale of the Heike (Heike monogatari) is an ink painting. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This six-panel folding screen, rendered with ink, color, gold, and gold leaf on paper, illustrates the pivotal Battle of Ichinotani.
About this work
Technique & Style
Handling emphasizes dynamic brushwork to render waves and armor, while gold backgrounds flatten space to focus attention on the battle narrative.
The work is executed in ink and color on paper, heightened with gold and gold leaf, arranged as one of a pair of six-panel folding screens. Handling emphasizes dynamic brushwork to render waves and armor, while gold backgrounds flatten space to focus attention on the battle narrative. Formal qualities include a high vantage point above the shore, with Minamoto warriors descending a cliff to attack the Taira stronghold; stylized waves and clouds frame the action, and the right screen’s composition directs the viewer’s gaze across the scene.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art lists the work as screen 1989.283 in its holdings.
History & Provenance
Created in the 17th century by an unknown artist, this work consists of one panel from a pair of six-panel folding screens. The piece was executed using ink, color, gold, and gold leaf on paper, depicting a scene from The Tale of the Heike. The screens eventually entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where they are held under the accession number 1989.283.
No specific details regarding the original commission, intermediate ownership history, or the precise circumstances of the museum's acquisition are provided in the available records.
The Battle at Ichinotani, from The Tale of the Heike, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It is accessioned there as 1989.283. The work appears as one panel of a pair of six‑panel folding screens, painted in ink, color, gold and gold leaf on paper during the 17th century.
The museum’s records indicate its presence within the institution’s Japanese painting holdings, though the sources consulted do not list detailed exhibition histories or specific gallery displays associated with this piece.
Overview
This six-panel folding screen, rendered with ink, color, gold, and gold leaf on paper, illustrates the pivotal Battle of Ichinotani. It is one of a pair, presenting a detailed visual narrative from the medieval Japanese epic, The Tale of the Heike. The composition is densely populated with numerous small-scale scenes, capturing the intensity and scope of the conflict through intricate depictions of warriors, landscapes, and architectural elements.
Subject & Meaning
The screen's central theme is the Battle of Ichinotani, a significant conflict chronicled in The Tale of the Heike. This epic recounts the struggle between the Taira and Minamoto clans. The artwork conveys the narrative through a multitude of small, dynamic vignettes, such as rearing horses and volleys of arrows, which collectively build a comprehensive depiction of the historical event and its dramatic impact.
Artist & collection
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