Two women and a girl prepare musical instruments for a concert. The woman at center holds a lute or biwa, that is ornamented with a plectrum guard featuring a deer under a full moon. The biwa was popular as an accompanying instrument to songs and...
men (male humans); women; Japanese maple; kimonos; mountains; trees; biwa
Fujiwara no Moronaga (1137-1192) was famous as a lute or biwa musician but unfortunate in his political career, as he kept running afoul of Taira no Kiyomori, who first exiled him in 1165 to Kyushu for 8 years and then in 1179 to Owari Province...
women; men (male humans); kimonos; military uniforms; drums (membranophones); flutes (aerophones); biwa; swords; fans (costume accessories)
The emperor, empress and five court ladies at right observe a traditional shirabyoshi dancer. While the imperial couple sit in chairs at a table, their attendants kneel on the carpeted verandah. Also on the porch is an enormous flower arrangement...