ANONYMOUS
Edo period (1615-1868), 18th century50 of the 100 poets (see below); a six-panel folding screen affixed with 50 sheets painted in ink and colour on paper mounted on a gold-sprinkled black paper ground, in silk mounts; unsigned. Overall: 170cm x 370cm (67in x 145 5/8in); each shikishi approx., 33cm x 24cm (13in x 9 7/16in).
注脚
This is the right-hand half of a former pair affixed with all hundred poets selected for Hyakunin isshu (100 Poems by 100 Poets), the famous anthology compiled by Fujiwara Teika (1162–1241). While some portraits are generic, many have unambiguous markers referring either to themes in the poems or characteristics of the poets, making it possible to establish that the 50 images are arranged in the order set by Teika, reading from top to bottom and right to left. Among the better-known are Kakinimoto no Hitomaru (third, with brush in hand and writing box at his side); Yamabe no Akahito (fourth, the only poem that mentions Mount Fuji); Sarumaru (sixth, 'the wandering stag calls'); Ono no Komachi (ninth, Japan's best known female poet); Semimaru (tenth, the blind biwa player); Ariwara no Narihira (17th, autumn leaves on the Tatsuta River); Oshikochi no Mitsune (29th, white chrysanthemums); Ki no Tomonori (33rd, cherry blossom); Ki no Tsurayuki (35th, plum blossom); Sone no Yoshitada (46th, 'sailing over Yura strait'); and Onakatomi no Yoshinobu (49th, 'like sentry fires at the imperial gate'). All 100 poems, with readable English translations, can be conveniently accessed at http://jti.lib.virginia.edu/japanese/hyakunin/hyakua.html.