The four major picture scrolls, that is, "Genji Monogatari Emaki," "Ban Dainagon Ekotoba" (picture scrolls about Conspiracy of Otenmon gate), "Shigisan Engi" (legends of Mt. Shigi) and "Choju-Jinbutsu-giga" (picture scroll drawn animals and people caricatured) are considered to be produced during the end of the Heian period (in the 12th century) (however, two among the four volumes of "Choju-Jinbutsu-giga" were produced during the Kamakura period).
四大絵巻と称される『源氏物語絵巻』『伴大納言絵詞』『信貴山縁起』『鳥獣人物戯画』はいずれも平安時代末期12世紀の制作とされている（ただし『鳥獣人物戯画』4巻のうち2巻は鎌倉時代制作）。