History of the Ups and Downs of the Minamoto and Taira
Gempei seisuiki, 源平盛衰記
Publisher: Jôshû-ya Kinzô
c. 1839-1843
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This series of triptychs
illustrates five battles of the Gempei War (1180–1185)
between the Taira clan and the Minamoto clan.
The war resulted in the downfall of the Taira and the establishment of
the shogunate (military dictatorship) under Minamoto no Yoritomo. The series is listed in Kuniyoshi: The
Warrior-Prints by Basil William Robinson (Cornell University Press,
Ithaca, NY, 1982) both as series S19 and as individual triptychs T58, T59,
T60, T109 and T123. 源平 is
sometimes transliterated as Gempei and sometimes as
Genpei. The
three individual panels of each triptych are about 14 by 10 inches (36 by 25
centimeters), a size known as ôban. |
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Title: The Battle of
Fujikawa in Suruga Province (Suruga no kuni Fujikawa kassen, 駿河国富士川合戦) Description: At the Battle
of Fujikawa, a flight of wild geese warned the Minamoto of a Taira ambush on
November 10, 1180 Date: c. 1839-1841 Robinson: T58 |
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Title: The Battle of
Katsu-ura in Awa Province (Awa no kuni Katsu-ura
kassen,
阿波國勝浦合戦) Description: The battle of
Katsu-ura in Awa Province: Yoshitsune and his
troops marching along the shore to attack Yoshitô’s
castle on Date: c. 1839-1841 Robinson: T59 NOTE: This triptych is inscribed gakô Ichiyûsai Kuniyoshi
(画工 一勇斎 國芳),
with gakô translating as painter or as
artist. The inscription is not a
signature, and was written by another hand.
I am grateful to
Marc DeVriese for the image. |
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Title: The Battle of
Ataka in Kaga Province (Kaga no kuni Ataka kassen, 加賀国安宅合戦) Description: The battle of
Ataka in Kaga Province,
with Tomoye-gozen and Yamabuki
(both in upper portion of right-hand panel), the warrior-mistress and wife,
respectively, of Yoshinaka, attacking the Taira under Kagekiyo
in 1183 Date: c. 1839-1841 Robinson: T60 I am grateful to Marc DeVriese for this image. |
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I am grateful to Ward Pieters for locating this alternate state
of the above design. Note the flags in
the right upper corner and the right lower corner. |
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Title: The Battle of Yashima in Sanuki Province (Sanshû Yashima kassen, 讃州八嶋合戦)
Description: The Battle
of Yashima in Sanuki Province on March
23, 1184: Akushichibyôe Kagekiyo chasing Kunitoshi along
the shore while Tsuginobu, shielding Yoshitsune, is shot by Noritsune from
his boat Date: c. 1842-1843 Robinson: T109 |
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Title: The Attack on
the Yamaki Palace (Izu
no kuni Yamaki kassen, 伊豆國山木合戦) Description: Yoritomo’s
attack on Yamaki Palace at night
took Kanetaka and his retainers by
surprise in 1180 Date: c. 1842-1843 Robinson: T123 |
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“Robinson” refers to listing in Kuniyoshi: The Warrior-Prints by Basil William Robinson (Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY, 1982) and its privately published supplement.
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