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Unknown Artist

The Story of Sugawara no Michizane (Kitano Tenjin Emaki Dankan)

14th century
Handscroll; ink on paper

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FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

Sugawara no Michizane (845–903) was a minister at the emperor’s court who refused to travel to China as an ambassador—and so he was banished to Kyūshū, where he perished. According to legend, his spirit began exacting revenge for his death. He was only placated when he was honored as the deity Tenjin and became the god of learning. This fragment of a narrative handscroll joins a text and illustration from different parts of the legend. The drawing probably shows an early scene, in which a household servant laments Michizane’s imminent banishment. The text describes a later part of the story, after he has become revered as Tenjin.

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