2-757-833 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

The Poet Koogimi, from the Fujifusa version of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals handscroll (Fujifusabon Sanjurokkasen emaki), first half of the 15th century. The poet depicted in this section is a court lady, Koogimi (or Kodai no Kimi, late 10th - early 11th century); women, in fact, were the first to adopt waka, verses of thirty-one syllables, as an important means of literary expression. Koogimi was married to a direct descendant of Emperor Daigo (reigned 897-930), and served as lady-in-waiting to two successive emperors. Her kneeling figure is all but obscured by her voluminous, layered court garb, against which the graceful fall of her black hair creates a sinuous pattern.