A two-panel screen painting by Shibata Zeshin depicting a scene from the Tales of Ise, featuring courtly figures beside a pine tree and stream.

Shibata Zeshin, a master of both lacquerware and painting, demonstrates his technical precision in this two-panel screen. The work depicts a scene from the Tales of Ise, a collection of Japanese waka poems and associated narratives dating to the Heian period. The composition utilises the classic Japanese screen format, where the gold-leaf background provides a reflective, ethereal space that separates the figures from the natural elements.

To the left, a gnarled pine tree leans over a winding stream, its branches adorned with blossoms. The treatment of the tree bark and the delicate petals shows Zeshin's background in lacquer techniques, where control of line and surface texture is paramount. The stream is rendered with fluid, calligraphic lines that suggest movement across the flat gold surface. To the right, three figures are seated on a woven mat, dressed in traditional Heian-era court attire. Their postures are relaxed, suggesting a moment of quiet contemplation or conversation. The contrast between the rigid, formal garments of the figures and the organic, flowing forms of the pine and water creates a balance typical of Zeshin's approach to traditional subjects.

Zeshin was active during a period of transition in Japanese art, yet he remained deeply connected to the aesthetic traditions of the Edo period. His ability to synthesise the decorative qualities of the Rinpa school with a more restrained, observational style is evident here. The gold-leaf ground is not merely a backdrop but an active participant in the composition, creating a sense of light that shifts depending on the viewer's position. This print captures the subtle interplay of colour and form, offering a clear view of the artist's refined brushwork and his command of classical literary themes.