Unquestionably one of the world's greatest literary masterpieces and the finest achievement of classic Japanese prose narrative, The Tale of Genji, written by Murasaki Shikibu shortly after 1000 A.D., has provided endless inspiration for Japanese painters throughout the centuries. Widely held to be the first novel ever written, its story relates the amorous adventures of "the shining prince" Genji and the elaborate and highly ordered court culture of the Heian era. Presented here is one of the most exquisite, complete, and beautifully preserved series of paintings illustrating the tale, bringing to life the events of this classic work. The fifty-four images—illustrating one chapter each—date from the mid-seventeenth century and were executed by an artist trained in the traditional Tosa school of painting. Their small dimensions (they measure just over five inches square) and lyrical colors call to mind the illustrated manuscripts of medieval Europe. Roofs are entirely removed from houses to reveal small, doll-like figures within. Delicate flowers and plants suggest the seasons of the year. Surrounded by gilded clouds, these graceful paintings shimmer with uncommon beauty and delicacy. Murase's introduction examines the paintings in detail, providing insight into the uniqueness of this set in particular, exceptional for being one of the most pristine and complete surviving series of illustrations of The Tale of Genji. Commentaries on each of the images describe the scene depicted and summarize, in brief, the key events from the tale. 54 color illustrations, 8 black-and-white illustrations.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
The renowned 11th-century Japanese literary masterpiece is receiving great attention these days (see PW Interview, Aug. 20). Here it is paid elegant tribute in The Tale of Genji: Paintings and Legends, introduced by Miyeko Murase (Bridge of Dreams), professor emerita at Columbia University and research curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Murasaki Shikibu, a 30-year-old woman, wrote the story in 54 chapters made up of 795 31-syllable poems; the full English translation exceeds 1,000 pages. The tale has captivated Japanese artists and has been rendered, variously and often, over the centuries. Murase presents one of the most famous series of paintings, called the Burke albums, initially attributed to the 17th-century master Tosa Mitsuoki, though Miyase finds reason to believe the series is the work of an anonymous painter of the Tosa school. The delicate, gold-inked illustrations (one for each chapter) appear alongside a summarized version of the story. Murase's excellent, accessible scholarship will give readers a deeper understanding of traditional Japanese painting.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Written by Murasaki Shikibu, "The Shining Prince" Genji's favorite consort in the 11th century, The Tale of Genji ranks among the world's greatest works of romantic prose narrative. This volume of miniature paintings represents the epitome of traditional Genji iconography as established by the Tosa School in the 17th century, the most familiar visual vocabulary of Genji illustrations. These images make up one of the finest and most complete sets existing to illustrate this literary masterpiece. The 54 full-page color reproductions capture the aristocratic sophistication of the Heian court, re-creating the ideals of that introspective society. Murase, a renowned scholar at Columbia University and a research curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, provides a historical overview of the tale, the author, the literary atmosphere, and the uniqueness of these illustrations. Commentaries on each of the images briefly summarized the scene depicted on each painting. Exquisitely made, this volume is a delight to hold and to read, and it will make an excellent companion to Royall Tyler's new translation of the epic (LJ 9/15/01). Recommended to both public and academic libraries. Lucia S. Chen, New York P.L.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Tale of Genji Reviewed,
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This review is from: The Tale of Genji: Legends and Paintings (Hardcover)
The book was excellent and the pictures were produced with high quality. The historical detail was technically correct. My daughter will keep this book along with her other art history books. She plans to get a graduate degree in Museum Studies and this will be a great addition to her art library.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful book,
By Tashi "heian fiend" (Detroit, MI) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Tale of Genji: Legends and Paintings (Hardcover)
This is such a beautiful book. I have checked it out from my university's library, and am so hesitant to give it back :) It has nice summaries for every chapter, and the illustration that was for the chapter. I am still in the process of reading the novel, so I find this book to be a good companion.
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