Yamato-e

Yamato-e very often depict narrative stories, with or without accompanying text, but also show the beauty of nature, with famous places meisho-e (名所絵) or the four seasons shiki-e (四季絵).

The pictures are often on scrolls that can be hung on a wall (kakemono), handscrolls (emakimono) that are read from right to left, or on a folding screen (byōbu) or panel (shōji).

Later the narrative element of yamato-e, the interest in the depiction of everyday life, and the choice of oblique and partial views in a composition heavily influenced the ukiyo-e style, as well as the nihonga.

This distinction is also much debated but the typical assumptions as to its meaning can be illustrated by works from each group discussed in the next two sections; both are famous masterpieces and National Treasures of Japan.

The colours are fresh and bright, built up in a technique called tsukuri-e (作絵, "make-up") where a first outline is covered by several layers of pigment, with final lines added on top.

The Shigisan-engi or "Legend of Mount Shigi" tells the story of the 9th century Shingon monk Myoren, founder of the Chogosonshi-ji temple.

Rather more examples survive from the following Kamakura period (1185–1333), including many showing scenes of life among the ordinary people, and also stories of wars from Japanese history.

From near the end of the first period of works in the style, the Yūki Kassen Ekotoba is a handscroll nearly 3 metres long, with a single wide battle scene after a text section, illustrating the suicide of Ashikaga Mochiuji after his rebellion in 1439.

Scene from The Tale of Genji by Tosa Mitsuoki , from the 17th century Tosa school revival of the style
Rinpa school version of yamato-e landscape style on a pair of screens by Tawaraya Sōtatsu , 17th century
Scene from the Genji Monogatari Emaki Emaki , 12th century, Tokugawa Art Museum
"Eastern House Chapter", another scene from the Genji Monogatari Emaki illustrated handscroll of The Tale of Genji
Shigisan-engi , the "flying storehouse" scene, 12th century
Uji Bridge Screen, an example of later yamato-e from the 17th century