Welcome to Part 2 of this blog series exploring a duo of fascinating Tale of Genji reproduction artworks found in our Rare Books and Manuscripts Library. In this half of the blog, I will introduce the Genji monogatari gajō and then offer an analytical commentary comparing this material to the iconic Genji monogatari emaki (discussed in Part 1) in their portrayal of Murasaki Shikibu’s original tale. Lastly, I will briefly introduce some of our Japanese comics related to the Genji mongatari and held in our extensive manga collection!
This sample from the Genji monogatari gajō shows Genji’s coming-of-age ceremony in the first chapter, “Kiritsubo” (I, “The Lady of the Paulownia-Courtyard Chambers”). Explanatory text (left) accompanies the prints.
The Tale of Genji Picture Album
The Tale of Genji is such an important work that Japanese artists have been depicting its most memorable scenes and characters for centuries. As a theme of fine art, these pictures may be referred to as Genji-e or “Genji pictures.” And as a style of Japanese illustration, an aesthetic called Yamato-e is reflected in the original Emaki, as well as in many other Genji-e. Certain schools of art specialized in Yamato-e; among these, the Tosa school and particularly the painter Tosa Mitsuoki (土佐 光起, 1617-1691) created a notable series of Genji–e in the Edo period (1603-1867).
The Sumiyoshi school painters—the official artists of the Tokugawa shogunate—were inheritors of the Tosa school’s Yamato-e tradition, and the Rare Books and Manuscripts Library holds a limited edition series of high-quality reproductions of Genji illustrations attributed to Sumiyoshi Jokei (住吉如慶, 1599-1670). The original work, called the Genji monogatari gajō (“Tale of Genji picture album,” hereafter referred to as: Gajō), was long possessed by the Nanki branch of the Tokugawa family and is now held in another private collection.
This rendition provides one image for each of the fifty four chapters of The Tale of Genji, which is less than the original Emaki’s two to three pictures per chapter. Also in contrast to the original Emaki, there is no accompanying calligraphy. Nevertheless, the Gajō reproduction was the product of an innovative printing technology, as preserving the physical qualities of the artwork was of paramount importance to the creators. The printing attempts to preserve the colors and texture of the paintings as closely as possible, including the application of gold dust by hand to each printing. The rare edition held at OSU was published in 1992 by IEI Art Gallery.
Style and Symbolism
As an essentially aristocratic novel written from a female viewpoint, The Tale of Genji is set mostly within the living spaces of the Heian aristocracy. Thus in the E-maki, viewers get an excellent look at Heian-period Japanese architecture and interior design from these works; space was carefully divided and re-divided by such objects as sliding doors, curtains, and blinds. Much of the romantic tension in the tale itself centers around the mystery and allure of women who were expected to reveal themselves only rarely within aristocratic Japanese society. Whether in a household restricting its daughters from venturing outside too often, or curtains and other dividers hiding the countenances of ladies from men’s eyes, or even the minuscule protection of an unfurled fan to cover her face– such limited views sparked the imaginations of potential suitors who could impress upon the unknown whatever passions had fired within them.
The Yamato-e style of the Genji monogatari emaki and Genji monogatari gajō offered an interesting perspective for depicting scenes from the tale by cutting away rooftops and “peeking in” on the drama from above. While this inevitably settled the focus indoors, the outdoors was almost always present as well, framing the buildings in a highly-stylized way reminiscent of Tang-dynasty (618 – 907) Chinese paintings. Such presentations, pressing human dwellings against the natural world, captured the ways in which nature both invoked and coincided with the wild emotions of the characters. This internal subjectivity was a common subject matter in The Tale of Genji and other Heian literature. Other features of Yamato-e included indistinct faces with abbreviated features; bright, thick pigments; and the inclusion of flowing, wispy clouds, which obscured unwanted portions of the scene above and helped to guide the eyes.
This is a scene from the “Takekawa” chapter (XLIV, “Bamboo River”). Kaoru sits outside while attendants peek out at him. Tamakazura is one of the three women inside, but it is not clear which one she is.
The Genji monogatari emaki has accompanying calligraphic text, while the Gajō does not. It also shows significant weathering in contrast to the Gajō.
While both of the works presented in this essay are Yamato-e, they share even more elements in common as Genji-e. Certain scenes were considered the standard of Genji-e, and it was a mark of the individual artist to make their own visualization of famous moments in the story. Examples of these include Genji’s life milestones (such as his coming-of-age ceremony); the deaths of various characters; and the first meetings between female characters and the heroes of The Tale. Many of these latter moments often included an element of kaimami or “peeping through the fence,” a standard romantic motif.
One of the images from the Emaki shows Kashiwagi’s death in the “Kashiwagi” chapter (XXXVI, “The Oak Tree”). Kashiwagi’s death comes from sheer agony at the shame of his illicit love for the Third Princess. Many characters’ deaths punctuate knowledge of an illicit affair, jealousy, or other intense emotions.
Kaimami is a recurrent and important element in tales like The Tale of Genji, and its visual power reverberates in scenes of the Emaki and Gajō. As mentioned earlier, Heian women lived a life mostly restricted to their household, kept intentionally away from the prying eyes of men in order to cultivate an alluring mystique. From the “Utsusemi” chapter (III, “A Molted Cicada Shell”) of the tale, where Genji spies a glimpse of Utsusemi and her daughter-in-law sharing a game of go, to Kaoru peeking at Ukifune in “Yadoriki” (XLIX, “Trees Encoiled in Vines of Ivy”), romantic feelings and entire character-to-character relationships very frequently began with a man’s secret glance at a woman. The cutaway rooftops of Yamato-e gave the viewer an unhindered look as well. In essence, the viewer is participating in the kaimami.
This scene in the gajō depicts the “Suetsumuhana” chapter (VI, “The Safflower”). Genji and To no Chujo compete for a relationship with a daughter of Prince Hitachi. Through a fence, they attempt to spy on her playing the koto. This chapter illustrates the importance of the mysterious allure cultivated by women’s families
Literature is a medium that is often implicitly felt as visual; the author uses words to paint pictures in our imaginations. The Tale of Genji is extensive in its depiction of a cultural reality. There is a thorough representation of both the material items of a Heian royal, and the lifestyle of the people themselves. Beyond their descriptive elements, the author’s choices helps to reinforce the themes of the tale such as the physical and emotional separation of the sexes and how Genji’s heavy-handed romanticism defied this separation and brought about great grief and tragedy.
With the help of artifacts like the Genji monogatari emaki and the Genji monogatari gajō, it becomes easier to clearly envision the world of Genji and see how various artists’ interpretative choices informed visual culture. Without them, we would lose access to the generative culture of Murasaki Shikibu and the aesthetic inspiration that her tale has sparked for centuries.
The Tale of Genji Manga
The tradition of Genji-e continues into the present day. For instance, stacks of manga in a swath of styles have been penned by modern artists, and you can find several circulating from the OSU Library’s own extensive manga collection. To show the tremendous breadth of this tale’s influence over the years, I have chosen to conclude this blog with a sampling of contemporary manga, which like the examples above, were also inspired by the Genji monogatari. (For those with a specialized interest in manga, please check out our manga blog to learn more about our feature titles and unique collections!)
Genji manga have spanned the gamut from Yamato Waki’s shōjo-style (PN6790.J33 Y3775 1980) to a sexually explicit version by Egawa Tatsuya (PL788.4.G4 2001), who is known for his sex comedy manga Golden Boy.
Artistic interpretations of The Tale of Genji can take on different dimensions determined by the gender and time period of the artist. Even the length of time between Yamato Waki’s 1980 publication and Egawa Tatsuya’s 2001 manga portray varying trends and cultural style.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York has a video of Yamato Waki’s process available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KnPPkql5y8
Notes: This essay was written in partial fulfillment of a course titled “Japanese Literature: Classical Period” (JAPANSE 5454), taught by Professor Naomi Fukumori (fukumori.1@osu.edu ), in Fall semester 2021. It was completed with the help and oversight of both Professor Fukumori and Dr. Ann Marie Davis, Japanese Studies Librarian.
Chapter titles and character names are based upon Dennis Washburn’s translation of The Tale of Genji, cited below.
Catalog Entries
“Wood-block reproductions of the Genji picture scrolls” (ND1059.6 G4 W66)
“Nanki Tokugawa-ke denrai Genji monogatari gajō” (ND1059.S86 A4)
“Asaki yumemishi : Genji monogatari / Yamato Waki” (PN6790.J33 Y3775)
“Genji monogatari / gensaku, Murasaki Shikibu; manga, Egawa Tatsuya“ (PL788.4 .G4)
“The tale of genji / Murasaki Shikibu ; translated by Dennis Washburn” (PL788.4.G4 E5)
Reference List
“National Treasure, The Tale of Genji Illustrated Handscrolls Special Unveiling of All Fifteen Newly Restored Volumes | Special/Featured Exhibitions | Tokugawa Art Museum.” Tokugawa Art Museum, 2021, www.tokugawa-art-museum.jp/en/exhibits/planned/2021/1113-1.
“Genji Monogatari Emaki (The Tale of Genji Illustrated Scrolls) | Paintings | Collection Highlights | Tokugawa Art Museum.” Tokugawa Art Museum, www.tokugawa-art-museum.jp/en/about/treasures/painting/post-01
“About the Owari Tokugawa Family | About the Tokugawa Art Museum | Tokugawa Art Museum.” Tokugawa Art Museum, www.tokugawa-art-museum.jp/en/about/owari-family
“Yamato-e Painting | Essay | The Metropolitan Museum of Art | Helibrunn Timeline of Art History.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art, www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/yama/hd_yama.htm
Tokugawa, Yoshinobu. Booklet accompanying the Genji monogatari emaki woodblock reproductions. Nagoya, Tokugawa Art Museum, 1994.
Taguchi, Eiichi. Booklet accompanying the reproduction of the Genji monogatari gajō. IEI Art Gallery, 1992.
Shirane, Haruo. Traditional Japanese Literature: An Anthology, Beginnings to 1600 (Translations from the Asian Classics). Illustrated, Columbia University Press, 2008. (Ebook version here).
