Title : Tale of Inaka Genji

Artist : Utagawa Kunisada II

Date : 1865

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Source : Honolulu Museum of Art
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Description : In 1830, a new publication with a series of ukiyo-e illustrations titled A Sham of Murasaki's Rustic Genji (Nise Murasaki Inaka Genji ) became very popular. Written by Ryütei Tanehiko (1783- 1842), it based the Genji character on Ashikaga Mitsu'uji, a son of the eighth Ashikaga Shögun Yoshimasa. The book's illustrator was Utagawa Kunisada (1786-1864), who depicted scenes as they might appear in his own time. Later, certain images were singled out based on their popularity and printed repeatedly by both Kunisada and Kunisada II. This triptych print originally belonged to a group of six (now missing the first three prints on the right side). This elegant print indicates the continuous production and popularity of Genji prints even in 1865, over thirty years after the original publication of the book. (from Tale of Genji exhibition 1/11/06-)

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