Late 17th Century Japanese Screen Pair. Battle of Ichi-no-tani and Yashima

Anonymous

Late 17th Century

Battle of Ichi-no-tani & Yashima

Dimensions: Each Screen: H. 175 cm x W. 385 cm (69” x 151.5”)

Price: USD 62,000

This pair of Japanese screens depict two significant battles from the Genpei War (1180–85), as recounted in the Tale of the Heike, a semi-historical epic chronicling the conflict between rival clans for control of Japan, written in the early 1200s.

Each screen portrays a single battle through a series of small episodes, framed by gold clouds, landscape elements, and architectural features. True to the style of many screens inspired by The Tale of the Heike, the scenes are rendered in lavish colors and gold, downplaying the brutality of the warfare. Although based on real events, these narratives often glorified and romanticized the heroic feats of the warriors. Viewers at the time would have been familiar with the story’s details, leading to a proliferation of paintings on folding screens inspired by this theme from the late Muromachi to the early Edo periods.

On the right screen, we see the Minamoto’s attack on the Taira, who have retreated from the capital, Kyoto, toward the sea. The central building represents the temporary Taira headquarters, where Taira soldiers are holding the young Emperor Antoku. The Minamoto plan to launch a surprise attack from the rear after descending the steep cliff known as Ichi-no-tani, depicted at the top center. This scene highlights the tactical brilliance of Minamoto commander Yoshitsune and the courage of his men.

The left screen captures moments from the Battle of Yashima. Following several defeats, the Taira retreated to Yashima, off the coast of Shikoku, anticipating a naval assault. To deceive them, Yoshitsune lit bonfires on Shikoku, leading the Taira to believe a large land force was advancing. In response, they abandoned their fortress and fled to their ships with Emperor Antoku. The war concluded just a month later with the Minamoto’s victory, leading to their ascension as Japan’s first military rulers under the title of shogun