How artists have interpreted the intrigues and love stories of The
Tale of Genji, one of the world's oldest novels
Lady Murasaki's Tale of Genji has delighted readers for more than
1,000 years and inspired writers to create numerous parodies. Artists
have responded with a rich parallel tradition illustrating the courtly
intrigues, love affairs and shifting alliances of the epic novel, as
well as its retellings. This lavishly illustrated volume explores
interpretations of the original story and its spinoffs by Japanese
master printmakers such as Kunisada, as well as Hiroshige, Suzuki
Harunobu and Chobunsai Eishi, bringing the characters to life in
dazzling woodblock prints from the peerless collection of the Museum of
Fine Arts, Boston.
With insightful commentary from a leading Japanese print scholar, this
book invites readers to explore the colorful world of The Tale of
Genji and its visual afterlife.