Explore the Background of this artwork, Zuijin Teiki Emaki.
Originating in Japan in the sixth or seventh century through trade with the Chinese Empire, emakimono art spread widely among the aristocracy in the Heian period. An emakimono consists of one or more long scrolls of paper narrating a story through Yamato-e texts and paintings. The reader discovers the story by progressively unrolling the scroll with one hand while rewinding it with the other hand, from right to left (according to the then horizontal writing direction of Japanese script), so that only a portion of text or image of about 60 cm (24 in) is visible.The Kamakura period (1185–1333), the advent of which followed a period of political turmoil and civil wars, was marked by the coming to power of the warrior class (the samurai). Artistic production was very strong, exploring even more varied themes and techniques than before, and signalling the "golden age" of emakimono (the 12th and 13th centuries).
Kamakura emakimono Kamakura period Heian period horizontal writing direction of Japanese script samurai left Chinese Empire Yamato-e Heian