Butterflies (Kochō), Illustration to Chapter 24 of the Tale of Genji (Genji monogatari) c. 1509 - 1510

Curator: This illustration, attributed to Tosa Mitsunobu, titled "Butterflies," presents a scene from Chapter 24 of the Tale of Genji. What is your immediate impression? Editor: It feels strangely dreamlike, almost detached. The boats, with their figures, seem to float ethereally above the scene. The water looks a bit like air. Curator: Note how Mitsunobu employs a flattened perspective, rendering space through layered planes. The boats become ornamental devices, symbols perhaps of privileged leisure. Editor: I see the social commentary in that, yes, but also the constraints on women depicted. Confined to the boats or glimpsed within the architecture, their roles seem very prescribed by class. Curator: The diagonal composition further emphasizes these constructed boundaries. Editor: But the vibrant colors and nature's presence offer a hopeful counterpoint, a chance at freedom or escape despite social constraints. Curator: Indeed. The tension between confinement and liberation is palpable, giving the illustration a captivating complexity. Editor: It certainly makes us consider the historical context and enduring relevance of these themes even today.