Suma, from the series "A Fashionable Parody of the Tale of Genji (Furyu yatsushi Genji)"

Art Historical Context

Step into the elegant world of Edo-period Japan with *Suma*, the right sheet of an oban triptych Chôbunsai Eishi's series *A Fashionable Parody the Tale of Genji (Furyu yatsushi Genji)*, created around 1789–94. Eishi, a master of ukiyo-e woodblock prints renowned for his graceful depictions of bijin-ga (beautiful women), reimagines scenes from Murasaki Shikibu's 11th-century classic novel *The Tale of Genji*. This chapter-inspired panel playfully updates the exiled prince Genji's poignant stay at Suma Bay, blending timeless romance with contemporary fashion and courtesan culture for urban audiences craving sophisticated entertainment. Printed in vibrant colors on three large sheets (measuring 38.7 × 25.4 cm here), the work showcases the intricate artistry of woodblock techniques: multiple carved blocks layered for nuanced hues, subtle gradations (bokashi), and fine lines capturing flowing kimonos and poised figures. Oban triptychs like this were prized luxury items, often displayed in homes to evoke the "floating world" of pleasure and transience. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of Asia collection, *Suma* highlights how 18th-century artists like Eishi parodied literary icons to comment on modern life, bridging Heian-era courtly drama with kabuki-inspired flair. A delightful fusion of tradition and whimsy!

About the Artist

Chôbunsai Eishi · 1756–1829

Chôbunsai Eishi, born Hosoda Tokitomi in 1756 to a prosperous samurai family of the Fujiwara clan in Edo, inherited a substantial stipend of 500 koku of rice annually. His grandfather had served as the shogunate's Treasury Minister, and upon his father Hosoda Tokiyuki's death in 1772, Eishi became family head while holding a position in Shogun Tokugawa Ieharu's palace from 1781. Unusually for a uk...