Genji triptychs
The Tale of Genj (Genji monogatari) is the greatest novel in classical Japanese literature, and arguably, the world’s first novel. It was written in the first decade of the eleventh century by Lady Murasaki, and relates the womanizing exploits of Prince Genji. Most of the prints depicting Prince Genji portray a sumptuously clothed prince surrounded by beautiful women, who are also extravagantly dressed. The individual sheets of these triptychs are each about 14 by 10 inches (36 by 25 centimeters), a size known as ôban. I am grateful to Ward Pieters for assisting with this section.
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Series:
Fashionable Quartet of Flower, Bird, Wind and Moon (Jisei kwachôfûgetsu) Robinson:
147 Title:
Wind (風) Description:
Prince Genji with 2 beauties in a windy garden Date: c.
1848 Publisher:
Arita-ya Seiemon |
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Series:
Fashionable Quartet of Flower, Bird, Wind and Moon (Jisei kwachôfûgetsu) Robinson:
147 Title:
Moon (月) Description:
Prince Genji with beauties on a moonlit deck Date: c.
1848 Publisher:
Arita-ya Seiemon |
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Series:
Select Five Elements (Mitate go gyô) Robinson:
139 Title: Wood (ki) Description:
Prince Genji entertains two beauties
disguised as Nuns under a tree in the rain Date: c.
1850 Publisher:
Sano-ya Kihei (Sanoki) NOTE:
Chapter 49 is titled Yadorigi,
which literally means ‘mistletoe’, but may also mean ‘sheltering’. Mistletoe is a woody plant, but the image
is one of sheltering from the rain under a tree. |
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Series:
Select Five Elements (Mitate go gyô) Robinson:
139 Title: Fire (hi),
The Fishing Fire (Kagaribi) Description:
Genji with beauties and fish; fishermen with torches in the distance Date: c.
1850 Publisher:
Sano-ya Kihei (Sanoki) |
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Series: Select
Five Elements (Mitate go gyô) Robinson:
139 Title: Earth (tsuchi) Description:
Genji at window Date: c.
1850 Publisher:
Sano-ya Kihei (Sanoki) |
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Series:
Select Five Elements (Mitate go gyô) Robinson:
139 Title: Metal (kane) Description:
Date: c.
1850 Publisher:
Sano-ya Kihei (Sanoki) |
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Series:
Select Five Elements (Mitate go gyô) Robinson:
139 Title: Water (mizu) Description:
Genji and two beauties watching ducks from a boat drifting on a snowy river Date: c.
1850 Publisher:
Sano-ya Kihei (Sanoki) NOTE: This
triptych is an allusion to chapter 51 (Ukifune) in
which the lovers prince Niou and Ukifune elope by boat in the middle of winter. |
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Title:
Boating in the Chinese Style (Jukan Funa Asobi) Description:
Date:
1847-52 Publisher:
Sumiyoshi-ya Masagorô |
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Series:
None Title:
Genji in an Description:
Date: c.
1848 Publisher:
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Series: Moon,
Snow, and Flowers (Getsusekka no uchi) Robinson:
Not listed Title: Snow
(Yuki) Description:
Date: 1847-52 Publisher:
Jôshûya Kinzô |
‘Robinson’ indicates listing in Kuniyoshi by Basil William Robinson,
1961,
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