197 - A series of five paintings, Japan, Tosa school, late Momoyama period–early Edo period, 16th–17th centuries

A series of five paintings, Japan, Tosa school, late Momoyama period–early Edo period, 16th–17th centuries Mineral pigments and Chinese ink on paper, with gold highlights. Mounted on a backing with a gold-leaf background. Wooden frames. This series of five paintings illustrates several narrative episodes from the legend of Taishokan-zu, identified with the figure of Fujiwara no Kamatari, a minister to the Emperor in the 7th century and founder of the Fujiwara clan, whose influence was decisive during the Heian period. The legend is attested as early as the 16th century, notably in sources attributed to Kowakamai, where it gave rise to performances combining sung recitation and dance. The scenes are rendered in a continuous narrative style, with a wealth of architectural and costume details. The compositions alternate between views of palaces, processions, ceremonial scenes, and battle episodes, set against aquatic and mountainous landscapes. The gold highlights, characteristic of the Tosa school, emphasize certain architectural elements, costumes, and accessories, reinforcing the visual hierarchy and the prestigious nature of the narrative. The precise drawing, the delicacy of the figures, the stylized depiction of court costumes, and the structuring of space through successive planes are typical of the Tosa School, which specialized in narrative painting (yamato-e) depicting historical or literary subjects. 107.8 x 53.5 cm (each) Provenance: Galerie Jacques Barrère. According to Yujiro Ochi, former curator of the Shizuoka Prefectural Museum of Art and a specialist in Momoyama-period folding screens, these works can be dated to around the late 16th century.