Scenes from the Tale of Genji

Folding screens served as temporary dividers in traditional Japanese open-plan architectural spaces. This screen was inspired by Japan’s most celebrated work of literature, the Tale of Genji, written by Murasaki Shikibu, an attendant to the empress in the early 11th-century imperial court. The novel follows the love life of the “Shining Prince” Genji and delves into the psychological states of his many companions.