“The Portrait of Taira no Shigemori”

In 1185, after a protracted bloody war between the samurai clans of Taira and Minamoto, the pompous and refined period of Heian was followed by the strict and courageous period of Kamakura. The warriors who came to power brought new tastes, views and notions of beauty. Simplicity and austerity honoured by samurais were reflected in the art of the Kamakura period which brought heroic spirit and praising of the military to the forefront. In painting, gala portraits of some famous military leaders of Japan appeared. In the picture, Taira no Shigemori is depicted in black ceremonial clothes, an aristocratic hat – kanmuri, with a scroll in his hand which shows his high court rank.