Scenes from the life of the Ming Huang Emperor and Yang Guifei (one of a pair with F1901.20)

Object Details

• Artist

  Kano Mitsunobu (ca. 1565-1608)

• School/Tradition

  Kano

• Label

  The scenes on these screens are based on a Chinese poem, "Song of Everlasting Sorrow," by Bo Juyi (772-846). The poem, which tells the tragic story of Tang dynasty emperor Ming Huang (Xuanzong) and his love for his concubine Yang Guifei, was known in Japan since the tenth century. The story is told in episodes beginning in the lower right corner of the left screen and moving in a circular, counterclockwise direction. At the top of the left screen, a party is held as the An Lushan rebellion begins; Yang Guifei perished in the uprising. In the upper right of the right screen, the emperor is alone after the uprising ends.

• Provenance

  To 1901

  Ernest Francisco Fenollosa (1853-1908), New York, NY, and Spring Hill, AL, to 1901 [1]

  From 1901 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Ernest Francisco Fenollosa in 1901 [2]

  From 1920

  Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [3]

  Notes:

  [1] See Original Screen List, S.I 42, L. 48, pg. 10, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.

  [2] See note 1.

  [3] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Japanese Screens (February 6 to August 19, 2013)

  Japanese Screens (May 9, 1993 to November 13, 1995)

  Japanese Screens (February 11, 1983 to July 19, 1988)

  Japanese Art—Painted Screens (August 18, 1967 to May 2, 1973)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Ernest Francisco Fenollosa (1853-1908) (C.L. Freer source)

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

• Origin

  Japan

• Credit Line

  Gift of Charles Lang Freer

• Type

  Painting

• Restrictions and Rights

  CC0 - Creative Commons (CC0 1.0)

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1590s, 1600s

• Name

  Fenollosa, Ernest Francisco, Freer, Charles Lang

• Place

  Japan

• Topic

  Charles Lang Freer collection, Art, Momoyama period (1573 - 1615), Concubine, Japanese Art, Kings and rulers

• Culture

  Japanese

• Object Type

  Paintings