Comparison question
Spring Shoots II
Muromachi Period
Background
This handscroll, which likely once belonged to a small set, illustrates a scene from the chapter titled “Spring Shoots II” in Tale of Genji, which is a unique story of the life of the son of an emperor named Hikaru Genji who was removed from the line of succession by his father and given the status of a commoner. In this chapter specifically, several women are accompanying Genji on a pilgrimage.
The MIA website notes that “Hakubyō-style pictures of The Tale of Genji were popular during the Muromachi period (1392–1573) and were created by amateur women painters in a private, aristocratic setting, in stark contrast to the colorful folding screens usually commissioned by powerful men and done by professional painters” The Tale of Genji was written during the Heian period in about 1000 CE by Murasaki Shikibu, and some hypothesize that she wrote each chapter one by one.
This scroll is mounted on a colorful background while the image is a monochrome drawing in a style of painting called hakubyō, or “white drawing”, which is a common style during the Muromachi period (1392–1573). The absence of color on the scroll highlights the differences in texture of the ink. The majority of the dark, thick ink strokes are located on the left side which draws the viewer to the left initially and then slowly to the right as the strokes become finer.
The description of the image on the MIA website notes that two men are sitting on a veranda in the far right of the scroll. If the description hadn’t specifically mentioned them, I may not have seen them. Their position on the scroll as well as the very light lines used to outline them, make them difficult to see. On the other hand, the women depicted in the scroll are much more emphasized. The women are located in the very center and take up space throughout the scroll left side as well.
The hair is one of the few things in the painting that were drawn using dark, bold strokes which helps to highlight it. The lines of the face and body are very light but the hair helps to highlight the body’s form. This makes me wonder why their expressions aren’t a central focus of the image. One explanation could be that their expressions aren't as important as their actions.
There are also many vertical lines throughout the entire scroll. In addition, there is this zig zag pattern created by the counter on the left which continues off the scroll but is picked up towards the center with the upside-down v-shaped wall. I think it is this pattern that helps guide the viewer across the scroll.
We analyzed another piece of artwork, an illustrated handscroll, based on the Tale of Genji. What similarities do you notice about the ways that the women and men in the two pieces are positioned? Does this piece convey the same sense of anticipation and mystery?
In class we looked at a water+ink+painting, in which the faces were really detailed and expressive but the bodies were composed of simple lines. The figures in this piece are much less expressive and their facial features are not highlighted as much. Instead, their facial features are drawn using very light lines and framed by dark hair which makes them even harder to see.
I think this work is worth studying because it shows what aspects of the tale of Genji the artist thought was worth highlighting. It also makes a viewer think about the Tale of Genji which in turn makes them think about the cultural values and historical context of the time period to which the work belongs.
Here is another artist’s take on this scene from the tale of Genji. It has a similar perspective in that it seems to also be an example of a “blown off roof”. However, it is much more colorful and the lines are bolder. Without any prior information about the two pieces, would you have guessed that they were conveying the same story?
There is much more to this painting to be discovered and analyzed and I think it holds many more questions. For instance, the title of the chapter, Spring Shoots, seems to be most reflected in the mount behind the scroll due to the flowers that extend up and out of the frame, but I still wonder why was this specific mount chosen?
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Lily Hubanks
Created on October 11, 2024
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Transcript
Comparison question
Spring Shoots II
Muromachi Period
Background
This handscroll, which likely once belonged to a small set, illustrates a scene from the chapter titled “Spring Shoots II” in Tale of Genji, which is a unique story of the life of the son of an emperor named Hikaru Genji who was removed from the line of succession by his father and given the status of a commoner. In this chapter specifically, several women are accompanying Genji on a pilgrimage.
The MIA website notes that “Hakubyō-style pictures of The Tale of Genji were popular during the Muromachi period (1392–1573) and were created by amateur women painters in a private, aristocratic setting, in stark contrast to the colorful folding screens usually commissioned by powerful men and done by professional painters” The Tale of Genji was written during the Heian period in about 1000 CE by Murasaki Shikibu, and some hypothesize that she wrote each chapter one by one.
This scroll is mounted on a colorful background while the image is a monochrome drawing in a style of painting called hakubyō, or “white drawing”, which is a common style during the Muromachi period (1392–1573). The absence of color on the scroll highlights the differences in texture of the ink. The majority of the dark, thick ink strokes are located on the left side which draws the viewer to the left initially and then slowly to the right as the strokes become finer.
The description of the image on the MIA website notes that two men are sitting on a veranda in the far right of the scroll. If the description hadn’t specifically mentioned them, I may not have seen them. Their position on the scroll as well as the very light lines used to outline them, make them difficult to see. On the other hand, the women depicted in the scroll are much more emphasized. The women are located in the very center and take up space throughout the scroll left side as well.
The hair is one of the few things in the painting that were drawn using dark, bold strokes which helps to highlight it. The lines of the face and body are very light but the hair helps to highlight the body’s form. This makes me wonder why their expressions aren’t a central focus of the image. One explanation could be that their expressions aren't as important as their actions.
There are also many vertical lines throughout the entire scroll. In addition, there is this zig zag pattern created by the counter on the left which continues off the scroll but is picked up towards the center with the upside-down v-shaped wall. I think it is this pattern that helps guide the viewer across the scroll.
We analyzed another piece of artwork, an illustrated handscroll, based on the Tale of Genji. What similarities do you notice about the ways that the women and men in the two pieces are positioned? Does this piece convey the same sense of anticipation and mystery?
In class we looked at a water+ink+painting, in which the faces were really detailed and expressive but the bodies were composed of simple lines. The figures in this piece are much less expressive and their facial features are not highlighted as much. Instead, their facial features are drawn using very light lines and framed by dark hair which makes them even harder to see.
I think this work is worth studying because it shows what aspects of the tale of Genji the artist thought was worth highlighting. It also makes a viewer think about the Tale of Genji which in turn makes them think about the cultural values and historical context of the time period to which the work belongs.
Here is another artist’s take on this scene from the tale of Genji. It has a similar perspective in that it seems to also be an example of a “blown off roof”. However, it is much more colorful and the lines are bolder. Without any prior information about the two pieces, would you have guessed that they were conveying the same story?
There is much more to this painting to be discovered and analyzed and I think it holds many more questions. For instance, the title of the chapter, Spring Shoots, seems to be most reflected in the mount behind the scroll due to the flowers that extend up and out of the frame, but I still wonder why was this specific mount chosen?