源氏物語画帖「玉鬘」|“A Lovely Garland” (Tamakazura), from The Tale of Genji
early 17th century
Medium
Album leaves mounted as a pair of hanging scrolls; ink, gold, silver, and color on paper
Dimensions
Image (a): 9 5/8 × 8 3/8 in. (24.4 × 21.3 cm) Overall with mounting (a): 53 1/4 × 15 11/16 in. (135.3 × 39.8 cm) Overall with knobs (a): 53 1/4 × 17 3/8 in. (135.3 × 44.2 cm) Image (b): 9 7/16 × 8 3/8 in. (24 × 21.2 cm) Overall with mounting (b): 53 1/8 × 15 5/8 in. (135 × 39.7 cm) Overall with knobs (b): 53 1/8 × 17 3/8 in. (135 × 44.1 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture & Period
Japan · Momoyama period (1573–1615)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Mary Griggs Burke Collection, Gift of the Mary and Jackson Burke Foundation, 2015
Accession Number
2015.300.33a, b
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite pair of hanging scrolls, *“A Lovely Garland”Tamakazura)* from *The Tale of Genji captures a pivotal scene from Murasaki Shikibu’s11th-century masterpiece—the world’s first novel. Created in the early 17th century during Japan’s opulent Momoyama period (1573–1615), the work features delicate figures of men and women amid elegant Heian-era architecture and gardens. Attributed to Tosa Mitsoshi, a master of the Tosa school known for its refined *yamato-e* style, and Konoe Sakihisa, the scrolls blend masterful painting with calligraphy, preserving the timeless romance and courtly int...
About the Artist
Tosa Mitsuyoshi 土佐光吉|Konoe Sakihisa 近衛前久 (Japanese|Japanese) · 1539 |1536 –1613 |1612
Japanese, 1539–1613|Japanese, 1536–1612