The Tale of Genji, chapter 2: Prince Genji's visit to Utsusemi

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At A Glance

  • Period

    17th century
  • Geography

    Japan
  • Material

    Ink, color and gold on paper
  • Dimension

    H x W (overall): 171.6 x 376.7 cm (67 9/16 x 148 5/16 in)
  • Accession Number

    F1904.117
  • EDAN ID

    edanmdm:fsg_F1904.117

Object Details

  • Artist

    Tosa Mitsuoki (1617-1691)
  • Label

    Written in the early eleventh century by a lady of the imperial court, Murasaki Shikibu, The Tale of Genji presents an enthralling narrative of the life of Prince Genji. Already illustrated before the end of the Heian period (794-1185), the pictorial conventions for Genji illustrations were well established. All fifty-four chapters, separated by golden clouds, could be illustrated on a large Japanese screen, but sometimes one chapter was illustrated on one of a pair of screens.
  • Provenance

    To 1904
    Yamanaka & Company, to 1904 [1]
    From 1904 to 1919
    Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Yamanaka & Company in 1904 [2]
    From 1920
    Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [3]
    Notes:
    [1] Undated folder sheet note. See Screens and Panels List, L. 90, pg. 25, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives. The majority of Charles Lang Freer’s purchases from Yamanaka & Company were made at its New York branch. Yamanaka & Company maintained branch offices, at various times, in Boston, Chicago, London, Peking, Shanghai, Osaka, Nara, and Kyoto. During the summer, the company also maintained seasonal locations in Newport, Bar Harbor, and Atlantic City.
    [2] See note 1.
    [3] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.
  • Collection

    Freer Gallery of Art Collection
  • Exhibition History

    Painting the Classics: Japanese Screens (November 10, 2018 to October 14, 2019)
    Japanese Screens (August 13, 1997 to May 4, 1998)
    Japanese Screens (May 9, 1993 to November 13, 1995)
    Japanese Screens (February 11, 1983 to July 19, 1988)
    Centennial Exhibition, Gallery 5 (February 25, 1956 to March 15, 1957)
    Untitled Exhibition, Japanese Screens (October 3, 1947 to November 10, 1955)
  • Previous custodian or owner

    Yamanaka and Co. 山中商会 (1917-1965) (C.L. Freer source)
    Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)
  • Origin

    Japan
  • Credit Line

    Gift of Charles Lang Freer
  • Type

    Painting
  • Restrictions and Rights

    CC0 - Creative Commons (CC0 1.0)

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