Death Of Taira Kiyomori

Takeda's Saru series reimagines episodes from the Genpei War (1180-1185) with monkeys substituted for human warriors and courtiers, recasting the Heike monogatari as primate theater. This sheet depicts the death of Taira no Kiyomori, head of the Taira clan, who according to the chronicle died in 1181 in a state of feverish delirium so intense that water poured on his body was said to turn to steam. Takeda renders the scene in mokuhanga, working within the conventions of traditional Japanese woodblock while bending the medium toward satirical ends. The flat color planes and strong contour lines that typify [nishiki-e](/glossary/nishiki-e) printing become vehicles for caricature rather than idealized portraiture. The Saru prints sit at the intersection of Takeda's training in sculpture at Tama Art University, his Bungei-Shunju Cartoon Award-winning satirical practice, and his sustained engagement with Japanese narrative painting traditions, particularly the emaki handscrolls that first illustrated Heike episodes.