| Home Page |

Lady Tokiwa

	Object Type	18th Century Japanese Scroll
	Artist	Rosetsu
	Period	Edo (18th century)
	Materials	Color on Silk Scroll
	Creation Date	ca. 1790
	Dimensions	43 1/2 in. x 7 1/8 in.

Commentary

Ukiyoe style paintings by Rosetsu are rather rare. A comparison of the loose sketch style of "Sea God" and "Turtle" with the delicacy of this painting shows the tremendous versatility of Rosetsu. Lady Tokiwa is holding the baby, Yoshitsune, while Yoritomo is following at her feet. According to legend, these children grow up to reclaim the power of the Genji. - JDP Tokiwa gozen was Minamoto Yoshitomo's favorite concubine. She worked for Emperor Konoe, but she was favored by Yoshitomo and gave birth to Imawaka, Otsuwaka and Ushiwaka (Yoshitsune). When Yoshitomo lost to the Taira clan, Tokiwa took her three children and ran away to a little village in Yamato when she heard that the Taira clan was after her children. Tokiwa heard the news that Taira no Kiyomori captured her mother. Trying to save her mother's life, she went to the headquarters of the Taira clan in Rokuhara and asked them to take her life instead of her mother's. Moved by her and her beauty, Kiyomori pardoned her three sons' lives and that of her mother, and he took Tokiwa as his concubine, and fathered one daughter. Depicted here is the scene where she is running away with her children. The one clinging to his mother's sleeve to avoid the snow is the oldest, Imawakamaru; the one being held by his mother in front is the youngest, Ushiwakamaru (Yoshitsune); and the second son is left for the viewer to assume. Signature "Rosetsu sha" and seals "Nagasawa" "Gyo" are at left bottom. (Kono)