Horse Race at the Kamo Shrine
The famous horse race at Kyoto’s Kamo Shrine, held annually since the Heian period (794–1185) on the fifth day of the fifth month, was a ritual event preceding the local Aoi Festival. As in almost all depictions of the Kamo race, this folding screen shows several handsomely caparisoned horses moving toward the left edge of the image along the track, which is delineated by temporary fences. Spectators look on, including aristocrats, priests, samurai, musicians, townspeople, and even several Europeans. Further onlookers are seated on the veranda of the large hall at the top of the composition. There, an audience is being given by an august individual who is clearly a member of the imperial family, possibly the emperor himself.
Artwork Details
- 賀茂競馬図屏風
- Title: Horse Race at the Kamo Shrine
- Artist: Unidentified Artist
- Period: Momoyama period (1573–1615)
- Date: ca. 1600
- Culture: Japan
- Medium: Six-panel folding screen; ink, color, silver, and gold leaf on paper
- Dimensions: Image: 61 in. × 10 ft. 7 1/16 in. (155 × 322.8 cm)
Overall with mounting: 68 7/8 in. × 11 ft. 1 7/8 in. (175 × 340 cm) - Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: Mary and Cheney Cowles Collection, Gift of Mary and Cheney Cowles, 2019
- Object Number: 2019.420.14
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
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Japan
second quarter 16th century
Unidentified
Unidentified
19th century
Unidentified
16th–17th century
Unidentified
ca. 1820–35
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