Murasaki Gazing at the Moon at Ishiyama Temple, c. 1847-1848
Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paperexpand_more
Gift of Louis W. Hill, Jr.expand_more P.78.65.69
Not on Viewexpand_more
For this fan print, Utagawa Hiroshige depicted the noblewoman Murasaki Shikibu, author of The Tale of Genji. It is said that Murasaki began writing her novel while viewing the harvest moon over Lake Biwa during a stay at the Buddhist temple Ishiyamadera. For this print, Hiroshige imagines Murasaki gazing at the moon and lost in thought, perhaps conceiving of her would-be novel and about to begin writing. Seated at a low writing desk, she holds a writing brush in her right hand and rests her left elbow on a blank sheet of paper. Visible at lower left is the edge of an inkstone.
Details
- Title
- Murasaki Gazing at the Moon at Ishiyama Temple
- Artist Life
- 1797 - 1858
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- P.78.65.69
- Catalogue Raisonne
- Sakai 1981, p. 229, additional uchiwa-e no. 126
- 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.
Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know
Zoom in on the left to the detail you'd like to save. Click 'Save detail' and wait until the image updates. Right click the image to 'save image as' or copy link, or click the image to open in a new tab.