Artwork Page for Scenes from the Tale of Genji

Details / Information for Scenes from the Tale of Genji

Scenes from the Tale of Genji

1700s

Japan, Edo period

(1615–1868)
Medium
Six-panel folding screen; ink, color, gold and gilding on paper
Measurements
123.8 x 289.6 cm (48 3/4 x 114 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Ross W. Comer 2024.160
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
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Distinct episodes are nestled within a matrix of golden clouds and landscape elements.

Description

Folding screens served as temporary dividers in traditional Japanese open-plan architectural spaces. This screen 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.
A horizontally oriented six-panel folding screen features narrative scenes in ink, color, and gold leaf. Scalloped gold clouds partition vignettes of figures in courtly robes within roofless architectural structures and gardens. At center, white blossoms flourish near stylized mountains. To the right, figures gather for an outdoor performance. Viewed from a high vantage point, the composition integrates interiors and nature, using a shimmering gold ground to separate episodes of a story.

Scenes from the Tale of Genji

1700s

Japan, Edo period (1615–1868)

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