Mother with Children

During the Genpei War in the late Heian period (794-1185), two powerful samurai clans, Minamoto and Taira (also known as Genji and Heike), were struggling for dominance. This particular painting concerns a historically famous incident at one stage of this struggle known as the Heiji Rebellion where the Minamoto side was severely defeated and most of its leading clan members were either killed, driven off, or taken captive. TOKIWA Gozen, the wife of the Minamoto clan head, MINAMOTO Yoshitomo, had to escape from the enemy with her three sons in heavy snowfall. In later years, Ushiwaka — the son pictured here concealed in his mother’s arms — grew up to be a great samurai named MINAMOTO Yoshitsune. He took revenge against the Taira, establishing the supremacy of the Minamoto clan.