Aristocratic Arts at the Nara and Kyoto Courts

Question 1

Illustrated Sutra of Cause and Effect (detail)

Answer 1

ink and color on paper,
mid-8th c.,
10 3/8 in. high

Question 2

Page with poem by Ise from the Anthology of Thirty-Six Poets

Answer 2

c. 1112,
ink, silver & gold ink on paper,
approx. 8 in. x 6 in.

Question 3

Page with poem by Ki no Tsurayuki from the Anthology of Thirty-Six Poets

Answer 3

c. 1112,

album leaf, ink on collaged paper decorated with silver and gold

Question 4

Lotus Sutra, dedicated by the Taira family (Heike nôkyô) (detail)

Answer 4

1164,
color on paper,
approx. 10 x 10 in. (See List # 8)

Question 5

Cosmetic box

Answer 5

12th c.,
black lacquer with gold maki-e and kirikane and mother-of-pearl inlay,
approx. 5 x 12 x 9 in. (See List #8)

Question 6

Landscape Screen (Senzui byôbu)

Answer 6

six-panel screen,
11th c.,
color on silk,
each panel approx. 58 x 17 in.

Question 7

Heian

Answer 7

Heian-kyô; “Capital of Peace and Tranquillity”

Question 8

Kyoto

Answer 8

Modern Nara

Question 9

waka

Answer 9

“Japanese poem”

Question 10

aware

Answer 10

also called mono no aware, “the pathos of things”

Question 11

emaki (also called emakimono, 絵巻物)

Answer 11

handscroll

Question 12

Maki-e

Answer 12

“sprinkled picture”

Question 13

Kirikane

Answer 13

“cut gold”

Question 14

Lotus Sutra

Answer 14

(Hokke-kyô or Myôhôrenge-kyô)

Question 15

shinden

Answer 15

A style of aristocratic mansions completed in the mid-10c in the capital, Kyoto,
main building is on the central axis running north-south