At the Pass (Sekiya), Illustration to Chapter 16 of the Tale of Genji (Genji monogatari) c. 1509 - 1510

Editor: This is "At the Pass (Sekiya), Illustration to Chapter 16 of the Tale of Genji" by Tosa Mitsunobu. It's at the Harvard Art Museums. The composition is interesting—with figures scattered across the landscape. What do you see in this piece that I might be missing? Curator: Ah, yes. It’s like stepping into a dream, isn’t it? This isn't just a picture; it's a portal into the Heian period, a whisper of courtly life. The clouds, almost like cotton candy, separate the classes and locations. Can you feel the weight of the narrative, the sense of lives intertwined and yet so distant? It’s a story told in glances and gestures. Editor: That's a beautiful way to put it. The "cotton candy" clouds do create such a dreamy, almost surreal, atmosphere! Curator: Precisely! And isn't it fascinating how Mitsunobu captures the essence of a story without spelling it out? It’s all suggestion and emotion, like a half-remembered melody. Gives the art a soulful quality. Editor: Definitely something to ponder. I'll have to read the Tale of Genji now.