An Eight-Panel Japanese Folding Screen of The Tale of Genji

Meiji or Taisho period, early 20th century, silk with colors and ink, the screen illustrates a passage from the novel The Tale of Genji written in the 11th century by Murasaki Shikibu and much beloved in Japan throughout the centuries, using the tarashikomi technique the court ladies are expertly painted in Heian period fashion with multiple layers of robes and long flowing black hair, high eyebrows, Genji is shown in court wear with a tall hall coming to visit one of his loves, the silk panels are edged with brocade and framed a muted red lacquered wood frame, the reverse has dark green paper backing.
30 3/4 x 117 in.
Private Collection, Greensboro, NC
Additional high-resolution photos are available at www.lelandlittle.com

Break between fifth and sixth panels so the screen is now in two separate sections; some wear to paper in hinged edges; some light surface wear; brocade has some wear to edges; some loss of metal hardware to wood frame and some flaking of lacquer to frame.