The Pink (Tokonatsu), Illustration to Chapter 26 of the Tale of Genji (Genji monogatari) c. 1509 - 1510

Editor: Here we have Tosa Mitsunobu’s "The Pink (Tokonatsu), Illustration to Chapter 26 of the Tale of Genji." It's delicate and ethereal, almost dreamlike. How do you interpret the significance of its depiction of courtly life within the context of gender and social hierarchy? Curator: I see it as both a celebration and a subtle critique. Notice how the figures are positioned within this architectural space. Who occupies the higher levels, and what does that imply about power dynamics in the Genji Monogatari's world? Editor: It seems those elevated are perhaps of higher rank, but the insularity feels restrictive. Curator: Precisely. Are they truly powerful or just confined? Consider, too, who is absent: where are the women of the court represented? Editor: That absence is so telling, isn't it? Thank you, this has been very helpful in thinking about power and representation. Curator: My pleasure. Now consider how this absence informs our reading of the narrative itself.