43 pairs of painted white shells; (a-b): two men face to face behind small green slope; (c-d): green hill at L, water body at R, and blue and red flowers between; (e-f): male figure in white and red clothing, seated inside building and addressing two men outside beyond verandah; (g-h): rolled scroll with red cover at L, wooden stand at C, and semi-unrolled scroll LR; (i-j): two men sitting on ground; man at L in red, facing man in dark green at R; (k-l): two men sitting on ground out of doors; man at L in red is seated near a green hill; man at R is kneeling in front of a building wall; (m-n): green slope with white flowers growing at L, red flowers leaning at R; (o-p): green slope at L, with black lacquered container (?) with gold moon and grasses at R; round object near C; red plaid cloth at UR; (q-r): man at L in red seated on ground behind brown grasses; man in blue looks on at UR; (s-t): hatchet on log at C, against green band; red plaid cloth at UR; (u-v): green slope with several white flowers at L, and large spray of red flowers at R; (w-x): green hill with small bunch of red flowers at L; larger spray of blue flowers at R; (y-z) two birds perched on hill between two branches of white flowering tree; grasses overlapping a strip of red horizon in background; (aa-bb): black hat on grassy slope at L; black cap with tail at R; red plaid cloth at UR; (cc-dd): female figure seated in profile on verandah at R; two figures facing each other on either side of low wall at L; (ee-ff): cluster of brown grasses at L; water at R; spray of blue and red flowers on top; (gg-hh): green slope lined with red flowers at L, white flowers with red centers at R; (ii-jj): green hill with large spray of off-white and red flowers on R slope; red blanket at UR; (kk-ll): two tiger-striped pouches with blue, black, and red decoration; red tassels and ties; (mm-nn): orange tiger lilies on L side of grassy knoll; arching silver lines in background; leaning spray of red and silver flowers that resemble fans at R; (oo-pp): man in red on v

Shell-matching game, 19th century

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These hand-painted seashells are parts of the popular game known as kai-awase, or the “shell-matching game.” Pairs of shells are decorated on their insides with the same scene from the Tale of Genji As in Memory and other matching games, the point was to try to match shells with similar scenes. Players could enjoy the fun of the game itself, and were also entertained by the images that reminded them of the Tale’s twists and turns or of a famous poem recited by one of the characters.

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Details
Title
Shell-matching game
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2015.79.399.1a-hhhh
Curator Approved

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43 pairs of painted white shells; (a-b): two men face to face behind small green slope; (c-d): green hill at L, water body at R, and blue and red flowers between; (e-f): male figure in white and red clothing, seated inside building and addressing two men outside beyond verandah; (g-h): rolled scroll with red cover at L, wooden stand at C, and semi-unrolled scroll LR; (i-j): two men sitting on ground; man at L in red, facing man in dark green at R; (k-l): two men sitting on ground out of doors; man at L in red is seated near a green hill; man at R is kneeling in front of a building wall; (m-n): green slope with white flowers growing at L, red flowers leaning at R; (o-p): green slope at L, with black lacquered container (?) with gold moon and grasses at R; round object near C; red plaid cloth at UR; (q-r): man at L in red seated on ground behind brown grasses; man in blue looks on at UR; (s-t): hatchet on log at C, against green band; red plaid cloth at UR; (u-v): green slope with several white flowers at L, and large spray of red flowers at R; (w-x): green hill with small bunch of red flowers at L; larger spray of blue flowers at R; (y-z) two birds perched on hill between two branches of white flowering tree; grasses overlapping a strip of red horizon in background; (aa-bb): black hat on grassy slope at L; black cap with tail at R; red plaid cloth at UR; (cc-dd): female figure seated in profile on verandah at R; two figures facing each other on either side of low wall at L; (ee-ff): cluster of brown grasses at L; water at R; spray of blue and red flowers on top; (gg-hh): green slope lined with red flowers at L, white flowers with red centers at R; (ii-jj): green hill with large spray of off-white and red flowers on R slope; red blanket at UR; (kk-ll): two tiger-striped pouches with blue, black, and red decoration; red tassels and ties; (mm-nn): orange tiger lilies on L side of grassy knoll; arching silver lines in background; leaning spray of red and silver flowers that resemble fans at R; (oo-pp): man in red on v