Minneapolis Institute of Art

Album with scenes from The Tale of Genji

Japan

Date

17th century

Medium

Album with 20 leaves, ink, color, and gold on paper

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

This album includes 20 scenes from The Tale of Genji, but not in order. The scene at right is one of the most frequently illustrated scenes from chapter 3, in which two young women and a young boy are shown indoors playing a board game by lamplight, while Genji himself spies on them from the veranda. Genji is in pursuit of one of these girls, Utsusemi, who ends up running away after catching the scent of Genji’s perfume on the breeze. His pursuit halted in this way, Genji instead has sex with Utsusemi’s companion. Japan, Asia

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