Noh Costume (Karaori) with Cypress Fans and Moonflower (Yūgao) Blossoms

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The pattern of a moonflower lying on an open cypress fan evokes Chapter 4 of The Tale of Genji, “The Lady of the Evening Faces” (Yūgao), and Genji’s tragic love affair with the woman known as Yūgao. She comes to Genji’s attention when he notices moonflowers, literally “evening faces” (yūgao), growing on the vine outside her humble abode—the same motif Ogata Kenzan depicted on his tea bowl displayed nearby. Seeing Genji’s carriage, the lady sends out a spray of the white flowers on a fan inscribed with a poem. During a subsequent tryst, Genji takes her to an abandoned mansion, where she is killed by the jealous spirit of Genji’s neglected lover, Lady Rokujō. The episode inspired a Noh play titled Yūgao, attributed to Zeami (ca. 1364–ca. 1443).

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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.

Metropolitan Museum of Art