Figures with Calligraphy of a Passage from the "Heike Monogatari" ("The Tales of Heike")

A literati painter and haiga poet, Yosa Buson composed both Chinese-style and Japanese-style poems. Here, Buson combined his two figure paintings with calligraphy of text from <em>Heike Monogatari</em>, a great historical romance written around 1240 that describes the rise and fall of the Taira family. The passage records the visits of the Taira courtier Lord Jittei with his sister Matsuyoi, the former empress’s lady-in-waiting. The female figure at the top of the scroll is painted summarily in red-gray and yellow-green line; the male figure, in blue and brown robes and pink flesh.