Edo period (1615-1868), 18th/19th century Scenes from the Genpei Wars; a pair of four-panel folding screens, ink, mineral pigments and gold flakes on paper mounted within gold-paper borders, depicting key moments at the close of the long war between the Taira and Minamoto clans whose rival claims culminated in a period when there were two reigning emperors: GoToba, who was proclaimed by the Minamoto in 1183 and held court in Kyoto; and Antoku, the legitimate heir and five-year-old son of the previous Emperor. Following GoToba's enthronement, Antoku and his family fled to the coast of Shikoku (Japan's fourth-largest main island), a move which resulted in the decisive battles of Ichinotani and Yashima (1184 and 1185). Probably as a result of remounting the episodes are not in strict chronological order but appear to be: 1-2) In Kyoto, Taira warriors and senior ladies of the Taira clan make preparations for the evacuation and protection of the child-Emperor Antoku; 3-4) At Yashima, Minamoto warriors attack Yashima by sea and launch an assault on the improvised beachside palace built by the Taira clan for the child Emperor; 5-6) At Ichinotani, the teenage warrior Taira no Atsumori plunges into the sea towards the fleeing Taira ships but is recalled by Kumagai Naozane, a Minamoto warrior, who challenges him to return and engage in single combat; 7-8) At Yashima, Nasu no Yoichi shoots an arrow at a fan that a lady of the Taira clan had fixed atop a staff set in the bows of her boat, daring the opposing Minamoto warriors to shoot it off. Nasu raced into the sea on horseback to accept the challenge. His aim was so accurate that the arrow struck the fastening pin of the fan, which disintegrated and fell into the sea; unsigned. Each overall approx., 187cm x 106cm (73 5/8in x 41¾in); each image approx., 81cm x 38cm (31 7/8in x 15in).