Summary

Set in the Heian period (794-1185), 'Jigokuhen' (Hell Screen) draws on the world of aristocratic court life and the tradition of Buddhist hell imagery that was central to medieval Japanese religious art. The story is narrated by a retainer of a powerful lord (the 'Great Lord of Horikawa'), a narrative frame that reflects the rigid social hierarchies of the period. Understanding the Heian-era patron-artist relationship and the Buddhist concept of multiple hells depicted on painted screens (byobu) is essential to appreciating the tensions in this tale.