Scenes from the Tales of Saigy? left of a pair, 17th century, Unknown Japanese, 60 ¡Ñ 139 in. (152.4 ¡Ñ 353.06 cm)60 ¡Ñ 21 1/2 in. (152.4 ¡Ñ 54.61 cm) (image)65 1/2 ¡Ñ 146 ¡Ñ 3/4 in. (166.37 ¡Ñ 370.84 ¡Ñ 1.91 cm) (outer frame), Ink, color, gold, and silver on gilded paper, Japan, 17th century, The Tales of Saigy? narrate the life of the eponymous samurai poet who gave up his title to become an itinerant monk. The story of Saigy?¡¦s lifelong travels was first illustrated in the thirteenth century in a set of four painted handscrolls, and the scenes depicted here are based on those originals. The right screen depicts Saigy?¡¦s first New Year after he took the tonsure. He appears alone in the leftmost panel, admiring the blossoms of a nearby plum tree. In the upper left of the left screen, Saigy? kneels before the wall of a shrine. On a journey through the rugged Kii Peninsula, Saigy? became so inspired by the cherry blossoms that he composed a poem and brushed it on the wall of a shrine. At lower right of the same screen, Saigy? parts ways with two monks he met on his journey.