Murasaki Shikibu at Ishiyamadera Temple, based on the print “The Moon at Ishiyama,” from the series One Hundred Aspects of the Moon (Tsuki hyakushi: Ishiyama no tsuki)

Tsukioka Yoshitoshi

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

To create the compendium of one hundred images of famous moonlit scenes that inspired his print series, Tsukioka Yoshitoshi combed literature and legend for inspiration. The scene of Murasaki at her desk, about to begin writing her monumental tale, was an obvious choice, having been depicted by artists of every school. His painted rendition of the setting, however, diverges from the usual one. Rather than show a view of Lake Biwa, he depicted the outcrops of wollastonite stone surrounding Ishiyamadera (Stony Mountain Temple). From the main hall of the temple, there actually is no direct vista of the lake or vantage point with such craggy features, but the references are clear.

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