The Safflower (Suetsumuhana), Illustration to Chapter 6 of the Tale of Genji (Genji monogatari) c. 1509 - 1510

Editor: Here we have Tosa Mitsunobu’s "The Safflower," an illustration to Chapter 6 of the Tale of Genji, housed at the Harvard Art Museums. The geometric composition and delicate brushwork are really striking! What's your take on this piece? Curator: I see an emphasis on the materiality of court life – the labor involved in producing elaborate textiles and the construction of these complex interior spaces. Consider the social hierarchy reflected in the figure's placement within the built environment. Editor: That's fascinating. So you're saying the artwork is less about the story itself, and more about the physical world that shapes it? Curator: Precisely. It's a window into the material conditions and the means of artistic production that underpinned the Tale of Genji's cultural impact. Editor: I never thought about it that way. Now I'm thinking about the labor involved in even creating the pigments. Curator: Exactly. Thinking materially opens up a whole new perspective.