The Story of Sugawara no Michizane (Kitano Tenjin Emaki Dankan)
Unknown Artist
14th century
Medium
Handscroll; ink on paper
Dimensions
L: 28 3/4" H: 10 7/8"
Classification
handscroll
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
6732
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Sugawara no Michizane (845–903) was a minister at the emperor’s court who refused to travel to China as an ambassador—and so he was banished to Kyūshū, where he perished. According to legend, his spirit began exacting revenge for his death. He was only placated when he was honored as the deity Tenjin and became the god of learning. This fragment of a narrative handscroll joins a text and illustration from different parts of the legend. The drawing probably shows an early scene, in which a househ...