Page 40 - Bonhams September 11 2018 New York Japanese & Korean Works of Art

1082

1082

1082
ANONYMOUS
Scenes from Genji monogatari (Tale of Genji) genre evolved until scenes were selected and painted specifically for
Edo period (1615-1868), 17th century folding screens. Typically, representations on folding screens feature
A pair of six-panels screens painted in ink, color, gold, and gold leaf vignettes from the various chapters arranged roughly in chronological
on paper with 12 scenes from the Heian-period novel, the clouds order, starting in the top right of the right screen and continuing down
separating the scenes raised in relief
62 x 139 1/4in (157.5 x 353.7cm) each panel in turn from right to left. The current lot also follows this
convention.
$30,000 - 50,000
The right-most panels feature scenes from Kiritsubo (Chapter 1)
The Tale of Genji, Murasaki Shikubu’s masterpiece written in the in the top right corner with Wakamurasaki (Chapter 5) below. The
eleventh century is considered one of the greatest works of Japanese middle panels are painted with scenes from Hatsune (Chapter 23)
literature. The story follows the life of a fictional prince, the son of and Momiji no ga (Chapter 7). The left panels show scenes from Aoi
an emperor but with no official rank of his own. Illustrations based (Chapter 9) and Utsusemi (Chapter 3).
on the narrative have been produced countless times across
various media starting soon after the novel was first written. Early The left screen is painted on the right panels with scenes from
examples were in smaller formats such as hand scrolls and albums, Miotsukushi (Chapter 14) and Suzumushi (Chapter 38). The central
but by the fifteenth century, folding screens featuring panels feature a different episode from Momoji no ga (Chapter 7).
illustrations from the narrative began to appear and gradually, the The left panels feature Tamakazura (Chapter 29), and the falconers
from Miyuki (Chapter 29) in the lower left.
FINE JAPANESE AND KOREAN ART | 39