Object Details
Artist
Attributed to Fujiwara no Nobuzane (1176?-1265?)
Calligrapher
Attributed to Fujiwara no Tameie 藤原為家 (1198-1275)
Label
Imperial princess Saigu no Nyogo (929-985), one of the few women among the Thirty-six Immortal Poets, is shown in this imaginary portrait reclining behind a curtain. Her face is barely visible among multilayered garments and her long, flowing hair. A lacquer box for writing equipment, decorated in gold, lies open on the ledge of the platform beneath her tatami.
A biography of the princess written in Chinese characters is followed by one of her poems in two lines of cursive hiragana:
With the sound of the koto
The wind in the pines of the mountain peak
Seems to communicate
With which note shall I begin?
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Exhibition History
Japanese Art from the Collection (October 26, 2024 - ongoing)
Facing East: Portraits from Asia (July 1 to September 4, 2006)
Surveying the Collections: Poets and Parties (July 2, 2000 to February 4, 2001)
Japanese Art (May 9, 1993 to June 27, 1994)
From Concept to Context: Approaches to Asian and Islamic Calligraphy (July 28, 1986 to February 6, 1987)
Japanese Calligraphy (December 21, 1984 to November 7, 1985)
Japanese and Chinese Lacquer (September 22, 1982 to June 30, 1983)
Japanese Lacquer (18 May 1980 to 15 June 1980)
Japanese Lacquer (April 16, 1979 to October 8, 1980)
Japanese Calligraphy (April 18, 1977 to September 13, 1977)
Japanese Art (October 2, 1975 to October 8, 1976)
Japanese Art—Paintings (September 16, 1970 to May 2, 1973)
Japanese Art, Galleries 3, 4, and 5 (January 1, 1963 to September 16, 1970)
Centennial Exhibition, Galleries 3 and 4 (February 25, 1956 to January 1, 1963)
Untitled Exhibition, Japanese Art, 1955 (October 25, 1955 to November 22, 1955)
Untitled Exhibition, Japanese Art, 1951 (January 23, 1951 to February 25, 1956)
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
Date
13th century
Period
Kamakura period
Accession Number
F1950.24
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Type
Painting
Medium
Ink and color on paper
Dimensions
H x W (image): 30.2 x 50.6 cm (11 7/8 x 19 15/16 in)
Origin
Japan
Related Online Resources
Google Arts & Culture
See more items in
National Museum of Asian Art
Data Source
National Museum of Asian Art
Topic
portrait
Kamakura period (1185 - 1333)
poet
Japan
prince
princess
kakemono
Japanese Art
Link to Original Record
Record ID
fsg_F1950.24