The Tale of Genji (Genji Monogatari) is a full-length Japanese novel written by a female author Murasaki Shikibu, a talented aristocratic poet from the Fujiwara clan in the middle of the Heian era (794 to 1185). Its earliest recorded publication was in the year 1001 (Choho year 3) and is still re-published today in the very same format. Consisting of 54 chapters in trilogy, it is a biographical tale of the main character Prince Genji and his descendants after his death, which continues for 70 years, with 500 castings and more or less 800 poems. It recounted the Prince Genji’s interruption with ladies of the court, but it was more than just a romantic love story of high society. It was a psychological insight into the principals of human life; being read by enlightened and educated nobles in the Imperial Court. The Tale of Genji is now considered to be a Japanese classic master piece and one of the most influential literatures in history. It has been also translated in numerous foreign languages since.

In the early 19th century, when ‘Genji’ on books launched in an altered format with full illustrations of princes and princesses, the modified literature was overlooked by the aristocracy. However, these types of novels accompanied by illustrations were fashionably prevalent to the general public and modern version of ‘The Tale of Genji’ is still to this days a popular book.

In the late Edo period, Illustrations of the Genji (Genji-e) on woodblock prints were developed from those early illustrations in books. Book of Inaka Genji (literally translated in Rustic Genji or Country Genji) was followed by Kabuki plays. With the help of theatrical productions on live stages, prints were presented in a larger size (O-ban) with multiple colours to signify the excitement of play and remained popular until the early Meiji period, the late 19th century.

As the Tale of Genji was so popular in the theatres, many artists were commissioned to produce artworks to cater to the demand of the public, and have since become collectors’ items.

A large number of woodblock print artists produced Genji prints during those years, including Kunisada (later Toyokuni III 1786-1864), Kuniyoshi (1797-1861), Hiroshige (1797-1858), Kunisada II / Toyokuni IV (1823 - 1880) and Kunichika (1835-1900). The majority of prints featured in this exhibition are from the original pioneers of Genji-e such as Kunisada and Kuniyoshi.

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