土佐光吉筆　源氏物語図色紙　「柏木」|“The Oak Tree”

Art Historical Context

This exquisite album leaf, mounted as a hanging scroll, a masterful illustration from *The Tale of Genji by Tosa Mitsuy, a leading artist of Japan's Tosa school during the 16th to early 17th century Titled “Kashiwa no Ki” (The Oak Tree), it captures a poignant scene from the novel's chapter of the same name, likely featuring elegant male figures amid the court's intricate dramas. Created in the vibrant Momoyama period (157–1615), this exemplifies the era's opulent aesthetic, with its delicate ink lines, rich colors, and shimmering gold flecks on paper, evoking the gilded splendor of samurai castles and aristocratic refinement. The Tosa school's yamato-e style—traditional Japanese painting rooted in classical literature—shines here through meticulous attention to costume, architecture, and emotional nuance, distinguishing it from bolder ink traditions. Originally part of a *shikishi* album of poetic color papers, each leaf like this one (9 3/4 × 8 3/16 in.) was designed for intimate appreciation before being elegantly remounted for display. *The Tale of Genji*, the world's first novel by Lady Murasaki Shikibu (early 11th century), inspired countless such cycles, making this piece a cultural bridge between Heian romance and Momoyama grandeur. From the Mary Griggs Burke Collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, it invites visitors to ponder timeless themes of love, jealousy, and nobility beneath an oak tree's symbolic shade.

About the Artist

Tosa Mitsuyoshi · 1539–1639

Japanese, 1539–1613