Murasaki Shikibu at Ishiyamadera, c. 1900-1910
Watanabe Seiteiexpand_more
Ink and color on silkexpand_more
The Louis W. Hill, Jr. Fundexpand_more 2009.8.2
Not on Viewexpand_more
This painting imagines the autumn night at the Buddhist temple Ishiyamadera when Murasaki Shikibu is said to have begun writing The Tale of Genji. Sitting on a veranda overlooking the lake, she gazes at a misty moon. The soft pink outer robe she wears in the painting is decorated with an overall pattern of blooming eulalia grasses, whose feathery seed spikes turn silver in autumn and are closely associated in Japan with moon viewing.
Details
- Title
- Murasaki Shikibu at Ishiyamadera
- Artist Life
- 1852 - 1918
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2009.8.2
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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