Tosa School
(Japan)
- Title
- Six scenes from ‘The Tale of Genji’
- Place of origin
-
Japan
- Year
- 1700-1750
- Media category
- Painting
- Materials used
- pair of six-fold screens; ink, colour, gold and 'gofun' on paper
- Dimensions
-
109.0 x 289.0cm each
- Credit
- Gift of Lesley Kehoe 2009. Donated through the Australian Government Cultural Gifts Program.
- Accession number
- 182.2009.a-b
- Location
- Not on display
- Further information
The scenes in these screens are read from right to left and begin with an episode from Chapter 6 in the 'Tale of Genji', when Prince Genji steals into the mansion of Princess Suetsumuhana and listens to her playing the Japanese zither called koto. The central vignette represents Chapter 21. It shows the page girl sent by Empress Akikonomu carrying a box of autumn leaves and poem for Murasaki, Genji's main consort. The final scene depicts Genji peering over a brush fence at the young Murasaki, a common motif to illustrate Chapter 5.
The first scene in the left screen represents Chapter 23 and shows Genji paying his New Year’s visit to the Akashi lady in her elegantly appointed quarters. The vignette at the centre refers to Chapter 3. It portrays two young women playing the board game of go, unaware that they are being watched by Genji. The last two panels on the right border show Genji's son Kaoru courting the ladies of Uji; this refers to developments in Chapter 46.
Asian Art Department, AGNSW, September 2011
- Bibliography (2)
-
Khanh Trinh (Editor), Genji - the world of the Shining Prince, Sydney, 2008, 14-15 (colour illus.). fig. 5
Foundation Newsletter #14 Jun 2009, Jun 2009, (colour illus.). The colour illustration is of the right screen.
