Who painted 土佐光則筆源氏物語画帖|Albums of scenes from The Tale of Genji?

土佐光則筆源氏物語画帖|Albums of scenes from The Tale of Genji was painted by Tosa Mitsunori in early 17th century.

Where can I see 土佐光則筆源氏物語画帖|Albums of scenes from The Tale of Genji?

土佐光則筆源氏物語画帖|Albums of scenes from The Tale of Genji is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is 土佐光則筆源氏物語画帖|Albums of scenes from The Tale of Genji?

土佐光則筆源氏物語画帖|Albums of scenes from The Tale of Genji is associated with Baroque.

土佐光則筆　源氏物語画帖|Albums of scenes from The Tale of Genji by Tosa Mitsunori (early 17th century)

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The albums depict scenes from The Tale of Genji, Japan’s 11th-century literary masterpiece by Murasaki Shikibu, illustrating key episodes and characters from the narrative. Each leaf portrays aristocratic figures, men and women in elegant courtly attire, engaged in moments of emotional or narrative significance, such as poetic exchanges or romantic encounters. The iconography reflects the Genji’s themes of love, loss, and the transient nature of life, rendered through the stylized gestures and refined expressions characteristic of the Tosa school.

Symbolically, the albums preserve and transmit the cultural legacy of The Tale of Genji, reinforcing its status as a foundational text in classical Japanese literature and art.

Technique & Style

A defining material characteristic is the incorporation of gold, which is used alongside the pigments to create the composition's visual effect.

Created in 1650 by Tosa Mitsunori, this work comprises two albums containing a total of thirty leaves. The artist executed the scenes from The Tale of Genji using ink and red pigment applied to paper supports. A defining material characteristic is the incorporation of gold, which is used alongside the pigments to create the composition's visual effect.

As painted albums, the work is designed for sequential handling rather than static wall display, allowing viewers to engage with the narrative progression of the depicted men and women across the individual leaves. The classification as painting underscores the application of these specific media on paper to achieve the formal qualities associated with the Tosa school's interpretation of classical literature during the mid-seventeenth century.

History & Provenance

Created in 1650 in Japan, the Albums of scenes from The Tale of Genji were executed by the artist Tosa Mitsunori. The work comprises two albums containing thirty leaves, each rendered in ink, red pigment, and gold on paper. These scrolls depict various scenes and figures, including men and women, drawn from the classic literary work The Tale of Genji.

The albums are currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where they remain part of the institution's holdings of Japanese paintings. The creation date is firmly established as 1650, marking a significant mid-17th-century contribution to the visual interpretation of the Genji narrative by a master of the Tosa school.

The two albums comprising thirty leaves, created by Tosa Mitsunori in 1650, are held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The institution serves as the current location for these ink, red pigment, and gold works on paper depicting scenes from The Tale of Genji. While the holding institution is clearly identified, the provided records do not specify a particular inventory or accession number for the work, nor do they detail any past or future exhibition history associated with these albums.

Legacy

The album of Tosa Mitsunori’s scenes from The Tale of Genji, produced in 1650, is held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a placement that signals its scholarly and curatorial recognition as an important example of Edo‑period narrative painting. Its detailed depiction of courtly figures and textual episodes contributed to the visual diffusion of Murasaki’s story and influenced subsequent Japanese illustration of literary classics. The work’s inclusion in a major Western museum also helped introduce Western audiences to the Genji tradition, reinforcing its lasting reputation as a key artifact in the history of Japanese pictorial storytelling.

Overview

These two albums, created around 1650 by Tosa Mitsunori, present a series of painted scenes from The Tale of Genji. The work, titled Albums of scenes from The Tale of Genji, offers a visual interpretation of the celebrated Japanese literary classic. Each album comprises thirty leaves, meticulously rendered with ink, vibrant red pigment, and shimmering gold on paper, inviting viewers into the narrative world of the ancient novel.