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Collections

Tosa School
Tales of Ise, Volume 11608

Not on view
Open illustrated manuscript with Japanese cursive script on the left page and a court scene painting on the right, showing robed figures on a veranda above a garden with deer and an autumn maple tree
Illustrated manuscript spread; left page shows ink and color painting of three court figures beneath a pine tree with pink blossoms, green rolling hills, and gold-speckled clouds in yamato-e style; right page bears vertical columns of Japanese cursive script in brush ink.
Illustrated manuscript page spread with ink and color on paper; left page shows a bird's-eye view of a multilevel interior with four court figures in layered Heian-period robes of red, orange, and blue; gold-leaf cloud borders frame the scene; right page bears vertical columns of Japanese cursive script with lightly painted grass motifs.
Manuscript double-page spread with vertical columns of flowing Japanese cursive script (kana) in black ink on aged cream paper, with a small red seal near the upper right.
Illustrated manuscript spread with Japanese cursive script on the left page and a painted scene on the right, showing a court figure in formal robes seated on a veranda, with a red plum tree in the foreground, a garden pond and rocks beyond, and gold-flecked sky above.
Illustrated manuscript spread; left page shows ink and color painting of a courtyard scene with three figures in Heian-period court dress near a roofed building and pine trees, rendered in bird's-eye perspective with gold-speckled borders; right page bears vertical columns of Japanese cursive script with small botanical sketches in ink.
Open manuscript with two pages of vertical columns of Japanese cursive script in brush and ink on cream paper, with small decorative floral motifs scattered across the left page.
Open manuscript book with two pages; right page filled with vertical columns of flowing Japanese cursive script (kana) in black ink, with small painted floral motifs in gold and brown; left page bears a few lines of Japanese script in the lower portion.
Japanese illustrated manuscript opened to two pages: left page bears vertical columns of cursive kana calligraphy with faint ink sketches of grasses; right page depicts a court figure in layered robes and black cap kneeling beneath a willow and pine near a stream, with red flowering plants, rolling green hills, and gold-speckled sky.
Illustrated manuscript spread with ink and color on paper; right page depicts two court figures in Heian-period robes seated on a sandy shore beside a winding blue river with a green pine tree, gold-sprinkled sky above; left page contains vertical columns of Japanese cursive script in brush ink.
Illustrated Japanese manuscript spread; left page bears vertical columns of cursive kana script; right page shows a color illustration of a figure on horseback accompanied by attendants on foot and kneeling, set against a landscape of pine trees, a river, and layered hills rendered in green and pink, with gold-flecked sky and ground.
Illustrated Japanese manuscript opening: left page shows three court figures seated on red cushions near a garden pond with irises and a wooden bridge, rendered in polychrome with gold-speckled borders; right page features vertical columns of cursive Japanese kana calligraphy with delicate grass-motif decoration.
Illustrated manuscript opening with two pages: left page shows a painted landscape with three court figures in Heian-period robes among stylized green hills, bare trees, and red flowering plants, with gold-flecked clouds above; right page contains vertical columns of Japanese cursive script in brush ink.
Illustrated manuscript spread; left page shows a watercolor scene of a figure on horseback and two kneeling figures in court robes before a pine tree, with green mountains and gold-speckled sky; right page bears columns of Japanese cursive script in brush ink.
Open manuscript with two pages of vertical columns of Japanese cursive script in black ink on cream paper, with small painted botanical motifs in pale colors at the left margin.
Illustrated manuscript spread with cursive Japanese calligraphy on the left page and a painted scene on the right: a group of courtiers in layered robes seated in a narrow boat on a winding blue river, with green rocky outcroppings, reeds, and gold-speckled clouds above.
Two-page spread of a bound manuscript with vertical columns of flowing Japanese kana cursive script in black ink on aged cream paper, with small red markings at the spine.
Japanese illustrated manuscript spread; left page bears vertical columns of cursive kana calligraphy with delicate floral motifs; right page shows two scenes separated by gold-speckled mist clouds: upper scene depicts a court woman in layered robes beside a standing male figure in formal green dress, lower scene shows three figures in warrior attire, one drawing a bow and another in red-laced armor, with scattered wildflowers throughout
Two-page spread of a bound Japanese manuscript, with vertical columns of flowing kana cursive script in black ink on cream paper, with small painted botanical motifs scattered among the text.
Illustrated manuscript spread: left page bears vertical columns of Japanese cursive script (kana) in black ink; right page shows a polychrome painting of two male courtiers in green and red robes kneeling on a veranda, a rooster perched in a willow tree above, and a reclining robed figure visible through an interior screen, with gold-sprinkled borders at top and bottom.
Open book spread with multiple vertical columns of Japanese cursive kana script in black ink on cream paper, with small red annotation marks visible on the right page.
Manuscript book open to a two-page spread, with vertical columns of Japanese cursive script in black ink on cream paper, small ink sketches of grasses visible on the left page.
Illustrated manuscript spread; left page shows a Heian-style court scene with a seated figure in layered robes inside a latticed interior and a standing woman in red and white junihitoe in a garden with blooming flowers and a gnarled pine, rendered in fine ink and mineral pigments with gold-flecked upper border; right page bears a vertical column of Japanese cursive calligraphy with lightly brushed grasses and branches.
Bound manuscript open to two pages, with vertical columns of Japanese cursive script in black ink on cream paper, and small gold floral decorations scattered across the left page.
Illustrated manuscript spread; left page shows a Japanese court scene with two figures in layered robes, one seated on a veranda and one visible through an interior screen, flanked by pine trees and gold-flecked clouds; right page bears vertical columns of Japanese cursive calligraphy with a faint ink landscape sketch.
Two-page spread of a Japanese manuscript, with vertical columns of cursive kana script in black ink on cream paper, written in flowing brush calligraphy.
Two-page spread of a bound manuscript with vertical columns of Japanese cursive script in black ink on cream paper, with faint decorative floral motifs in pale gold visible on the left page.
Two-page spread of a Japanese manuscript with flowing kana script in black ink, multiple vertical columns of cursive calligraphy, with small gold and pink floral decorations scattered across the right page.
Illustrated manuscript opening with Japanese cursive script on the left page and a painted scene on the right, depicting a court figure in orange and layered robes with long black hair, leaning over a latticed railing of a veranda; pine branches and gold-flecked borders below.
Illustrated manuscript opening with ink and color painting on left, Japanese cursive script on right. Left page depicts two court women in layered robes near a wooden well frame in a garden with pine trees and a stream; gold-leaf clouds at top border a pink interior behind them.
Illustrated manuscript opened to two pages; right page densely filled with vertical columns of Japanese cursive script (kana); left page features sparser calligraphy alongside delicate ink-and-color drawings of flowering branches with small white blossoms.
Illustrated manuscript opening with Japanese cursive script on the left page and a painted scene on the right: a courtier in green robes kneels in a garden below a veranda where a noblewoman in layered court dress sits behind a latticed screen, with gold-flecked borders and pine trees.
Illustrated manuscript spread with a court scene at left and vertical Japanese calligraphy at right. The painting, rendered in the yamato-e style, shows two women in layered Heian-period robes seated inside a raised interior, and a male courtier in green robes and formal black cap standing in a garden below, with pine trees and gold-speckled borders.
Illustrated manuscript spread with ink and color on paper; left page depicts a bird's-eye view of a Heian-period architectural setting, a robed woman reclining inside an open chamber above and a court nobleman in green robes standing below amid pine trees; gold-speckled upper border; right page bears vertical columns of Japanese cursive calligraphy.
Two-page manuscript spread with vertical columns of Japanese cursive script in black ink on aged cream paper, with small red stamp impressions visible at center and right.
Two-page spread of a Japanese manuscript, with columns of flowing kana calligraphy in black ink on cream paper; left page decorated with a delicate brushwork sprig of white plum blossoms.
Illustrated manuscript spread with Japanese cursive script on the left page and a color illustration on the right. The illustration, with gold-flecked sky, depicts a roofed veranda interior where two women in layered Heian-period robes are seated, while a courtier in formal green robes and tall black cap stands in a garden below, flanked by pine and flowering shrubs.
Illustrated manuscript opening: right page shows two court figures in Heian-period robes seated on a wooden veranda, surrounded by blossoming plum trees and gold-leaf clouds; left page contains vertical columns of Japanese cursive script (kana).
Bound manuscript opened to a two-page spread, with vertical columns of Japanese cursive script in black ink on cream paper, with a narrow decorative binding visible at the center spine.
Open bound manuscript with two pages of vertical columns of Japanese cursive script in brush and ink, with small painted sprays of flowering branches in gold and brown on the left page.
Open manuscript with two pages covered in vertical columns of Japanese cursive kana script (hentaigai or sōsho style), written in black ink on cream-colored paper, with faint decorative motifs visible beneath the text on the left page.
Illustrated Japanese manuscript opened to a two-page spread: left page bears vertical columns of cursive kana calligraphy; right page shows a polychrome painting with gold-leaf sky, depicting a courtyard scene with a robed figure holding a parasol below and a seated court figure in layered robes on a veranda above, with pine and plum trees.
Manuscript book opening showing two pages of Japanese cursive script (kana) written in vertical columns with fluid brushwork, on cream paper decorated with small printed floral motifs in gold.
Open bound manuscript with vertical columns of Japanese cursive script in black ink on cream paper, with faint gold painted plant motifs on the right page.
Illustrated manuscript opening; left page bears vertical columns of Japanese cursive script (kana) with small chrysanthemum decorations; right page shows a robed court figure seated on a veranda overlooking a garden with pine trees, water, and flowering plants, with gold-leaf clouds above.
Open manuscript spread with two pages of vertical columns of Japanese cursive kana script in black ink on cream paper, with small decorative botanical illustrations in gold and ink scattered across the right page.
Illustrated manuscript open to two pages; right page densely covered in vertical columns of Japanese cursive script (kana); left page bears two lightly brushed gold and ink drawings of grasses with sparse accompanying text.

Tosa School, Tales of Ise, Volume 1, 1608, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Gift of Miss Bella Mabury, photo © Museum Associates/LACMA

Artist or Maker
Tosa School
Title
Tales of Ise, Volume 1
Place Made
Japan
Date Made
1608
Period
Edo period (1603-1868)
Medium
Two-volume album; ink, color, and gold on paper, brocade covers; volume 1: 24 painted images; volume 2: 22 painted images
Dimensions
Each image: 9 5/16 x 6 3/4 in. (23.6 x 17.2 cm); Each overall: 9 3/8 x 6 3/4 x 3/8 in. (23.7 x 17.2 x 1.0 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Miss Bella Mabury
Accession Number
M.39.2.379a
Classification
Books
Collecting Area
Japanese Art