This illustrated picture scroll of the Tale of the Heiji Civil War depicts the Hogen Insurrection of 1156, a power struggle between the warriors Minamoto Yoshitomo and Taira Kiyamori centered around rival candidates for the imperial throne. The Taira victory at this time was cemented in 1160 when the courtiers Fujiwara Nobuyori (ally of the Minamoto) and Fujiwara Michinori, aka Shinzei (ally of the Taira) became entangled in the Heiji Insurrection, leading to the final decisive rout of the Minamoto.
The scroll of the “Imperial Visit to Rokuhara” illustrates the escape of the boy Emperor Nijo from the Imperial Palace, where he had been put under house arrest by Shinzai's Minamoto allies. To evade his enemies, he was spirited away to the Rokuhara Mansion disguised as a lady in waiting.
Size: 24 x 11cm per panel
