Artwork Page for Scenes from the Tale of Genji

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Scenes from the Tale of Genji

源氏物語図屏風

late 1700s

Japan, Edo period

(1615–1868)
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Medium
One of a pair of six-panel folding screens; ink and color on gilded paper
Measurements
Image: 154.5 x 351.2 cm (60 13/16 x 138 1/4 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of William G. Mather 1948.124.2
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
Print

Description

Folding screens served as temporary dividers in traditional Japanese open-plan architectural spaces. This pair was inspired by Japan’s most celebrated work of literature, the Tale of Genji, written by Murasaki Shikibu, an attendant to the empress in the early 11th-century imperial court. The novel follows the love life of the “Shining Prince” Genji and delves into the psychological states of his many companions. Distinct episodes are nestled within a matrix of golden clouds and landscape elements. Each screen includes six episodes presented in a nonlinear fashion, capturing scattered highlights of the story.
A horizontally oriented ink and color painting on a six-panel gilded screen depicts scenes of courtly life. Scalloped gold clouds drift across the background, partitioning vignettes of people with light skin tones in traditional robes. At bottom left, figures sit on green mats within wooden structures. In the center, others walk amidst flowering trees. To the right, more gather in open-fronted rooms near large pine trees. Ornate gold leaf dominates the composition.

Scenes from the Tale of Genji

late 1700s

Japan, Edo period (1615–1868)

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