The Eastern Cottage (Azumaya), Calligraphic Excerpt from Chapter 50 of the Tale of Genji (Genji monogatari) c. 1509 - 1510

Curator: Konoe Hisamichi's "The Eastern Cottage," a calligraphic excerpt from The Tale of Genji, presents a fascinating interplay of text and image. The salmon colored paper catches the eye. What do you notice first? Editor: The script itself! It dances across the page, yet the ornate border lends a gravity, almost a regal quality, to the excerpt. Curator: Indeed. The materials – paper, ink, and the tools used – indicate a privileged class, a society where leisure allowed for such refined artistic pursuits. Editor: Look closely at the border. Dragons are interwoven. Dragons often stand for imperial power but can also be suggestive of transformation and wisdom. Curator: Perhaps reflecting Genji's own complicated journey through power and self-discovery. It's remarkable how the materiality and the symbolism intertwine. Editor: It all evokes a sense of layered meaning. A lovely peek into the past. Curator: I agree, and a potent reminder of the enduring power of both text and the context in which it was produced.