Minneapolis Institute of Art

Red and White Tale of Genji, vol. 3a: Autumn Excursion

Okumura Masanobu

Date

1709

Medium

Woodblock printed book, ink on paper

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Murasaki Shikibu, a court lady, wrote The Tale of Genji—posited to be the world’s fi rst novel—in the early 11th century. Following courtier Hikaru Genji and his many trysts, the story offers insight into aristocratic society and life at the time. By the Edo period, when printed versions of Genji became available, few could understand the classical Japanese language used in the original written version. In this book, writer Suigetsudō Baiō translated the original text into the vernacular, while illustrations were added to appeal to a broader readership. Asia

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