Prince Genji and Beauty Doing Origami
Artwork
Medium:
Woodblock print
Date:
1869
Dimensions:
Artworks -
Height: 13.75"
Width: 28.75"
Description:
A three piece woodblock print of four women. The woman in the leftmost panel is standing next to a child while the women in the right two panels are sitting on the ground.
Historical Context:
Kuniaki II became famous for his Japanese genre prints of actors and beauties during the late Edo period. The male image on the left represents the main character from The Tale of Genji, a classic work of Japanese literature from the early 11th century. It was authored by Murasaki Shikibu, a noblewoman, poet, and lady-in-waiting. The story depicts the lifestyles of high courtiers during the Heian period.