A Standing Screen Depicting Narihira’s Journey to the East

The Adonis plant near the screen indicates that this scene is of the New Year. The painting on the screen illustrates the ninth scene in Tales of Ise, regarding Journey to the East by master poet Narihira, which is the subject of other prints in this gallery. Here, the home of a samurai family is full of decorative arts. At the right, the wife sits reading with attendants. At the left, one of the two courtesans may be composing a New Year poem, customary during this season.