Title: Genji Monogatari Emaki (The Tale of Genji Picture Scroll), Circa 1800-1900. A Monumental, 38-Foot-Long Manuscript Comprising of Chapters 33-54 of this Heian Classic, Painted in the Heian Style
Author: Original Story by Murasaki Shikibu; Unknown Artist
Condition: Very Good
A Late Edo to Meiji Period, 19th century manuscript, dubbed Genji Monogatari Emaki, or The Tale of Genji Picture Scroll.
As the title would entail, this manuscript is an emakimono handscroll of Murasaki Shikibu’s great literary work, often considered to be history’s first novel, and the first by a woman to have global recognition. The text itself is broken down in 54 chapters, depicting the lives of highborn courtiers of the Heian Period, and the text itself was originally written in hiragana. The first section, being chapters 1-33, focus on the life and experiences of Hikaru Genji, the titular protagonist, who is the son of Japanese Emperor Kiritsubo, and a low-ranking concubine. The second section of chapters 34-41 focus on his senior years and death, while the final section of chapters 42-54 focuses on Genji’s grandson Niou, and presumed son, Kaoru.
This handscroll contains the final 21 chapters, beginning with Wakana: Jō, also known as New Herbs: Part I, and ending with Yume no Ukihashi, or The Bridge of Dreams. Each chapter is depicted with a massive painting representing different scenes, all largely vividly painted, and very much reminiscent of Heian Period emakimono picture scrolls produced in this manner. The artist must have spent considerable time studying 12th century handscrolls such as the Genji Monogatari Emaki (a famous example now held in the Tokugawa Art and Gotoh Museum) and others, to produce their manuscript in such a manner. It is likely that two other scrolls containing the rest of the chapters exist, but they were not present with the scroll I now have.
The paintings have been laid down and bound in a scroll for preservation, with a beautiful brocade decorated cover with white flowers, and there are jikusaki (knobs) made of lacquered wood.
One brocade bound emakimono (picture scroll) painting on fine paper, 37.6 x 1164.6 cm full length. The knobs are not included as part of the measurement.
This handscroll is in very good shape, with minimal rubbing or wear to the covers. There are some minor, repaired worm tracks, and some vertical stains, possibly from where each section was laid down. There are also a couple of creases.