鳥文斎栄之画　「浮世源氏八景 幻　落雁 薄雲　晴嵐」|Spirit Summoner; Wild Geese Returning Home (Maboroshi; Rakugan) (right) and A Thin Veil of Clouds; Clearing Weather (Usugumo; Seiran) (left), from the series Eight Views of The Tale of Genji in the Floating World (Ukiyo Genji hakkei)

Art Historical Context

This exquisite diptych by Chōbunsai Eishi (1756–1829), a master of ukiyo-e woodblock prints from Japan's Edo period (1615–1868), forms part of the series * Views of The Tale of Genji in Floating World* (Ukiyo Genji hakkei), created between 1797 and 1799. Eishi ingeniously reimagines scenes from Murasaki Shikibu's11th-century classic novel *The Tale of Gen*—one of Japan's greatest literary works—through the lens of the "floating world," the vibrant, pleasure-seeking culture of urban Edo (modern Tokyo). The right panel depicts "Spirit Summoner; Wild Geese Returning Home" (Maboroshi; Rakugan), while the left shows "A Thin Veil of Clouds; Clearing Weather" (Usugumo; Seiran), blending poetic chapter titles with elegant female figures in kimonos, evoking melancholy romance and seasonal beauty. Printed with ink and color on paper, these 14⅜ × 9½-inch panels showcase Eishi's signature style: graceful, elongated figures with soft contours and subtle gradations of color achieved through meticulous woodblock techniques like *bokashi* (ink blending). As a rival to Utamaro in bijin-ga (images of beautiful women), Eishi's refined lines and atmospheric details capture the emotional depth of Genji's world, making high art accessible to everyday viewers. This work highlights ukiyo-e's cultural pinnacle, democratizing classical literature amid Edo's booming print industry. Collected via the Rogers Fund in 1921, it now graces the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Asian Art collection, inviting us to ponder timeless tales of love and longing.

About the Artist

Chōbunsai Eishi · 1756–1829

Japanese, 1756–1829