Anonymous


Scenes from Genji monogatari (Tale of Genji)Edo period (1615-1868), 17th centuryA pair of six-panels screens painted in ink, color, gold, and gold leaf on paper with 12 scenes from the Heian-period novel, the clouds separating the scenes raised in relief 62 x 139 1/4in (157.5 x 353.7cm)
|The Tale of Genji, Murasaki Shikubu's masterpiece written in the eleventh century is considered one of the greatest works of Japanese literature. The story follows the life of a fictional prince, the son of an emperor but with no official rank of his own. Illustrations based on the narrative have been produced countless times across various media starting soon after the novel was first written. Early examples were in smaller formats such as hand scrolls and albums, but by the fifteenth century, folding screens featuring illustrations from the narrative began to appear and gradually, the genre evolved until scenes were selected and painted specifically for folding screens. Typically, representations on folding screens feature vignettes from the various chapters arranged roughly in chronological order, starting in the top right of the right screen and continuing down each panel in turn from right to left. The current lot also follows this convention.The right-most panels feature scenes from Kiritsubo (Chapter 1) in the top right corner with Wakamurasaki (Chapter 5) below. The middle panels are painted with scenes from Hatsune (Chapter 23) and Momiji no ga (Chapter 7). The left panels show scenes from Aoi (Chapter 9) and Utsusemi (Chapter 3).The left screen is painted on the right panels with scenes from Miotsukushi (Chapter 14) and Suzumushi (Chapter 38). The central panels feature a different episode from Momoji no ga (Chapter 7). The left panels feature Tamakazura, and the falconers from Miyuki (Chapter 29) in the lower left.