Red and White Tale of Genji (Kō haku Genji monogatari) 1709
okumuramasanobu
minneapolisinstituteofart
ink-on-paper
aged paper
toned paper
book
sketch book
japan
ink-on-paper
personal sketchbook
journal
coloured pencil
sketchbook drawing
storyboard and sketchbook work
sketchbook art
watercolor
"Red and White Tale of Genji (Kō haku Genji monogatari)" is a woodblock print book by Okumura Masanobu from 1709. The book is a visual interpretation of "The Tale of Genji", a classic Japanese novel by Murasaki Shikibu. The book is a small and intimate format and features two illustrations, one on each page of the book. The illustrations depict scenes from the story, including a woman seated on a dais, and a man kneeling on a platform with another woman standing in front of him. The minimalist style of the illustrations evokes the sense of refinement and elegance that is typical of Japanese art.
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Murasaki Shikibu, a court lady, wrote The Tale of Genji—posited to be the world’s fi rst novel—in the early 11th century. Following courtier Hikaru Genji and his many trysts, the story offers insight into aristocratic society and life at the time. By the Edo period, when printed versions of Genji became available, few could understand the classicalJapanese language used in the original written version. In this book, writer Suigetsudō Baiō translated the original text into the vernacular, while illustrations were added to appeal to a broader readership.
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