“A Lovely Garland” (Tamakazura), from The Tale of Genji

“A Lovely Garland” (Tamakazura), from The Tale of Genji

Tosa Mitsuyoshi 土佐光吉

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

In Chapter 22, “A Lovely Garland,” new robes are distributed to ladies in Genji’s household as the New Year approaches. Genji sits near his beloved Murasaki, while the women put garments into lacquered boxes. Mandarin ducks, symbolic of marital harmony, swim in the garden pond. The calligraphy has been attributed to the prominent courtier Konoe Sakihisa (1536–1612).

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

“A Lovely Garland” (Tamakazura), from The Tale of Genji“A Lovely Garland” (Tamakazura), from The Tale of Genji“A Lovely Garland” (Tamakazura), from The Tale of Genji“A Lovely Garland” (Tamakazura), from The Tale of Genji“A Lovely Garland” (Tamakazura), from The Tale of Genji

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.