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Title
Ariwara no Narihira
Alternative Title
Eastern brocades; Azuma nishiki chuya kurabe: Ariwara no Narihira
Creator
Chikanobu, Yoshu
Date Created and/or Issued
1886-04-01
Publication Information
Kobayashi Tetsujiro
Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery, Scripps College
Contributing Institution
Claremont Colleges Library
Collection
Chikanobu and Yoshitoshi Woodblock Prints
Rights Information
The contents of this item, including all images and text, are for personal, educational, and non-commercial use only. The contents of this item may not be reproduced in any form without the express permission of Scripps College. Any form of image reproduction, transmission, display, or storage in any retrieval system is prohibited without the written consent of Scripps College and other copyright holders. Scripps College retains all rights, including copyright, in data, images, documentation, text and other information contained in these files. For permissions, please contact: Scripps College, Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery Attn: Rights and Reproductions, 1030 Columbia Avenue, Claremont, CA 91711
Description
The 10th century poetic anthology Tales of Ise contains several verses that reportedly describe the love life of Ariwara no Narihira (825-880). According to legend, this handsome poet and courtier eloped with Fujiwara no Koshi (842-910) who was already betrothed to Emperor Seiwa, and the young couple fled to the grassy plains of Musashi Province, where they were caught. In the top panel a courtier rides a spirited gray horse on a plain in front of a mountain. The horse wears a colorful harness of red fringe; the rider a hunting outfit known as a kariginu, the sleeves of which are attached only underneath the arms. Cords in the cuffs of the sleeves allow him to draw them closed; the tasseled end of one can be seen hanging below his right sleeve. His hakama or trousers are gathered at the ankle. His retainers are similarly dressed. Their hakama are gathered up around the knee for ease in walking. The lower panel depicts Ariwara and Fujiwara in the moments before capture. Fujiwara kneels amid the tall grass and Ariwara stands next to her holding her hand. They both look back at their torch-bearing pursuers. He wears an osode, a long full robe with large open sleeves. His hair has been plaited and tied up with a purple cord. Fujiwara wears a full sleeved red kimono with a blue obi tied in the front. She clutches a white cloth around her with her right hand. Her hair is undressed and falls down over her shoulders.
Type
image
Format
image/jp2
Identifier
http://ccdl.claremont.edu/cdm/ref/collection/cyw/id/11
Language
Japanese
Subject
Men (male humans)
Women
Swords
Mountains
Trees
Torches (lighting devices)
Kimonos
Horseback riding
Horses
Ukiyo-e
Print
Time Period
Meiji (Japan, 1869-1912)
Source
Woodcuts; Ink on Paper; 13 13/16 x 9 5/16 in.; accession number 93.6.47
Relation
Chikanobu and Yoshitoshi Woodblock Prints https://ccdl.claremont.edu/digital/collection/cyw

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