The Plum Tree Branch (Umegae), Illustration to Chapter 32 of the Tale of Genji (Genji monogatari) c. 1509 - 1510

Editor: Here we have Tosa Mitsunobu's "The Plum Tree Branch," an illustration from The Tale of Genji, at the Harvard Art Museums. The rendering of the figures and the setting feels so deliberate and stylized. What are your thoughts on this work? Curator: Notice the materiality here. The gold leaf, the meticulously applied pigments - they're not just decorative. They signify the wealth and power concentrated in the hands of the aristocracy who consumed this story. How does the medium itself contribute to the narrative of courtly life? Editor: That’s a great point! It makes me consider how the physical materials were sourced, traded, and transformed to create this image. Curator: Precisely. The labor involved and the consumption it represents offer a deeper understanding. Editor: I hadn't considered that before, but it definitely adds another layer to the narrative. Thanks!