The Broom Tree (Hahakigi), Illustration to Chapter 2 of the Tale of Genji (Genji monogatari) c. 1509 - 1510

Curator: This is Tosa Mitsunobu’s illustration for the second chapter of The Tale of Genji, titled “The Broom Tree.” Editor: It feels like a dream, this layered perspective, those shimmering clouds...a glimpse into a secret, perhaps melancholic, world. Curator: The floating world, indeed! The composition, with its bird's-eye view, invites us to consider the social dynamics at play within Heian court society. How are these figures positioned in relation to power? Editor: Positioned like pieces in a play, aren't they? The figures so still, and that stark geometry of the architecture against the soft blur of the landscape...it's both intimate and distant. Curator: And that distance speaks volumes about the constraints placed upon individuals within the rigid structures of the court. We see the weight of tradition and expectation bearing down. Editor: Leaving us with a longing, I think, for something beyond the confines of the gilded cage. It’s a reminder that even in beauty, there can be a profound loneliness.