Paul Binnie

Scottish, b. 1967

Atsumori

conté on paper, titled at lower right, ATSUMORI, signed at lower left, BINNIE with artist's kanji seal Bin-ni, ca. 1994

15 3/8 by 10 5/8 in., 39 by 27 cm

Taira no Atsumori was a beautiful sixteen-year-old Heike aristocrat of the Heian period who was killed by the Genji warrior Kumagai no Naozane in the battle at Ichi-no-tani. In the play Atsumori, the ghost of Atsumori appears to Kumagai, who has renounced the world and taken the priestly name Rensei. Atsumori asks Kumagai to pray for his soul. Atsumori was reputed to be an expert flautist, and his flute can be seen sticking out of the figure’s left sleeve.

Reference: www.the-noh.com

(inv. no. C-1452)

price: $700