A Disguised Scene from The Tale of Genji (Fūryū Yatsushi Genji), Chapter 33, “Wisteria Leaves (Fuji no uraba)”
ca. 1794
Medium
Triptych of woodblock prints; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
A. (left): 14 5/8 x 9 7/8 in. (37.1 x 25.1 cm) B. (center): 14 5/8 x 10 in. (37.1 x 25.4 cm) C. (right): 14 5/8 x 10 in. (37.1 x 25.4 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Henry L. Phillips Collection, Bequest of Henry L. Phillips, 1939
Accession Number
JP2818a–c
Tags
Art Historical Context
Chōbunsai Eishi's *A Disguised Scene The Tale of GenjiFūryū Yatsushi Genji)*, Chapter 33 “Wisteria Leaves (uji no uraba),” from around 1794, brings the elegance of Japan's Heian-era classic novel into the vibrant world of Edo-period. This triptych woodblock prints—ink and color on paper—icts a scene from Murasaki Shikibu'sThe Tale of Genji reimagined through the lens of *fūryū* (elegant or stylish disguise), where timeless courtly romance is transposed onto contemporary courtesans and urban settings. The three panels, each about 14½ by 10 inches, unfold a panoramic narrative centered on gracef...
About the Artist
Chōbunsai Eishi · 1756–1829
Japanese, 1756–1829