The Tale of Taishokan, 1640/80 Pair of six-panel screens; ink,
colors, and gold on paper each 173 x 374 cm Restricted gift of
Charles C. Haffner III and Muriel Kallis Newman; Alyce and Edwin
DeCosta and Walter E. Heller Foundation Endowment; through prior
gift of Charles C. Haffner III, 1996.436.1-2 This screen
narrates the medieval Taishokan tale, an action-adventure story
that captivated medieval and early modern audiences whether they
saw it performed on the Noh, Bunraku or Kabuki stage, or
depicted in paintings and prints. The many variants of the tale
combine elements from early Japanese mythology and history;
14th-century Buddhist temple origin legend (engi) that reflects
continuing anxiety about foreign invasion in the wake of the
Mongol attacks of the late 13th century, and Noh play motifs.
The story unfolds from right to left, opening with a scene in
and around the courtyard of Fujiwara Kamatari’s residence in the
Nara area. Kamatari, the most powerful courtier of the seventh
century, was the first a