Emaki is a horizontal, illustrated narrative form whose origins date back to the Heian Period in Japan. Emaki combines both text and pictures, and is drawn, painted, or stamped on a hand scroll. The art form developed in the 10th century under the influence of the hand scrolls that came with the introduction of Buddhism and other cultural elements in the 6th century. It can be considered one of the early forms of sequential art, along with Egyptian hieroglyphics, European stained glass windows of medieval times and some pre-Columbian Central American manuscripts. The Heian period (Japanese: 平安時代, Heian-jidai) is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. ... A scroll is a roll of parchment, papyrus, or paper which has been written upon. ... Buddhism (Pāli Buddhadhamma or Sanskrit Buddhadharma) is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, who lived in the 5th century BCE. Buddhism spread throughout the ancient Indian sub-continent in the five centuries following his death, and propagated into Central, Southeast, and... ... Hieroglyphs are a system of writing used by the Ancient Egyptians, using a combination of logographic, syllabic, and alphabetic elements. ... Strictly speaking, stained glass is glass that has been painted with silver stain and then fired. ...

An emaki is read by unrolling a scroll with one hand and rolling it back with the other hand at the same time, moving from right to left. In this way, only a portion of the narrative is viewed at a time. It is expected that the person viewing the scroll will re-roll the scroll back in its original form, much as one is supposed to rewind video tape after viewing it. The emaki scroll is bound by a cord and stored alone or with other scrolls in a dedicated box, which is sometimes decorated with intricate patterns. The video cassette recorder (or VCR, less popularly video tape recorder) is a type of video tape recorder that uses removable cassettes containing magnetic tape to record audio and video from a television broadcast so it can be played back later. ...

Panel from the Tale of Genji handscroll (detail)

Dating from about 1130, the illustrated 'Tale of Genji' represents one of the high points of Japanese painting. Written about the year 1000 by Murasaki Shikibu, a lady-in-waiting to the Empress Akiko, the novel deals with the life and loves of Prince Genji and the world of the Heian court after his death. The 12th-century artists of the e-maki version devised a system of pictorial conventions that convey visually the emotional content of each scene. In the second half of the century, a different, more lively style of continuous narrative illustration became popular. The Ban Dainagon Ekotoba (late 12th century), a scroll that deals with an intrigue at court, emphasizes figures in active motion depicted in rapidly executed brush strokes and thin but vibrant colors. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (940x528, 105 KB) Summary A scene(AZUMA YA: East Wing) of Illustrated scroll of Tale of Genji (witten by MURASAKI SHIKIBU(11th cent. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (940x528, 105 KB) Summary A scene(AZUMA YA: East Wing) of Illustrated scroll of Tale of Genji (witten by MURASAKI SHIKIBU(11th cent. ... Events February 13 - Innocent II is elected pope An antipope schism occurs when Roger II of Sicily supports Anacletus II as pope instead of Innocent II. Innocent flees to France and Anacletus crowns Roger King. ... Genji Monogatari (源氏物語), frequently translated as The Tale of Genji, is a classic work of Japanese literature attributed to the Japanese noblewoman Murasaki Shikibu in the early 11th century, around the peak of the Heian period. ... // Events World Population 300 million. ... Murasaki Shikibu (紫 式部 Murasaki Shikibu, c. ... Akiko is the name of a comic book series. ...

E-maki also serve as some of the earliest and greatest examples of the otoko-e (Men's pictures) and onna-e (Women's pictures) styles of painting. There are many fine differences in the two styles, appealing to the aesthetic preferences of the genders. But perhaps most easily noticeable are the differences in subject matter. Onna-e, epitomized by the Tale of Genji handscroll, typically deals with court life, particularly the court ladies, and with romantic themes. Otoko-e, on the other hand, often recorded historical events, particularly battles. The Siege of the Sanjo Palace (1160), depicted in the painting "Night Attack on the Sanjo Palace" is a famous example of this style. The Siege of the Sanjo Palace was the primary battle of the 1159 Heiji Rebellion. ... Events Erik den helige is succeeded by Karl Sverkersson. ...