Scenes from the Tale of Genji

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.

Provenance

William G. Mather [1857-1951], Cleveland, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art (?-1948); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (1948-)

Scenes from the Tale of Genji

Tosa School

late 1700s

Accession Number

1948.124.1

Medium

One of a pair of six-panel folding screens; ink, color, and gold on gilded paper

Dimensions

Image: 154.5 x 351.2 cm (60 13/16 x 138 1/4 in.)

Classification

Painting

Museum

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Cleveland, United States

Credit Line

Gift of William G. Mather