About This Print

Source: The Tale of Genji, Lady Murasaki, Dead Authors Society, 2018 It is with women as it is with everything else: the flawless ones are very few indeed. This is a sad fact which I have learned over the years. All manner of women seem presentable enough at first. Little notes, replies to this and that, they all suggest sensibility and cultivation. But when you begin sorting out the really superior ones you find that there are not many who have to be on your list...

For an excellent introduction to The Tale of Genji see Penguin's "Short Summary of the Tale" at  https://www.penguin.com/static/packages/us/taleofgenji/introduction3.php

About The Album

Note: my notes below appear in italics within brackets [ ]. The Project and the Publisher: Mr. Yonekichi Yamada with his experience of thirty years in art publication began to undertake the publication of this album in 1953 at his own expence [sic] and sacrificing his personal interest. Since then, overcoming a number of technical difficulties, he has put his whole heart and soul, helped by several woodblock artists, into realizing the woodblock art of the highest standard. Their persistent efforts and the propriety as subject matter of Genji Monogatari which is the culmination of our early literature, enabled the publication of this album which reproduces very well the elegant manners of the Heian period. It is not surprising that it has won the highest praise as an album most graceful of this art ever known. Planner and Chief Editor     Yonekichi YAMADA, the President of YAMADA SHOIN, the publisher Painter of Original Pictures     Masao EBINA, Winner of 'Hakuji' and Special Prizes Supervisor of Wood Carving     Yoshio KAWAMO [Kawatsura Yoshio 川面義雄 (1880-1963)*] Chief Producer     Ryohei NAGAYA Explainer and Translator     Takei MATSUDA, Litt. D. [Matsuda Taeko 松田武夫 (1904-1973)] General Supervisors     Isojo, ASOO, Litt.D., Dean of Liberal Arts Faculty, Tokyo            University [Asō Isoji 麻生磯次 (1896-1979)*]     Sen-ichi HISAMATSU, Litt. D. the Honorable Prof. of Tokyo             University, Member of the Japan Academy          [Hisamtasu Sen'ichi  久松潜一次 (1894-1976] * Kawatsura Yoshio, an artist in his own right, joined Yamada Shoinin 1941 as a printing engineer/supervisor. Prior to reproducing Ebina’s Genjipaintings in woodblock, he had reproduced a number of original Genji-related works for Shoin and other publishers. Hewas awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon for his contributions to artistic developments in 1959.

THE GENJI MONOGATARI This novel was written in the middle of the Heian Period or in the beginning of the eleventh century, and is one of the representative works in Japanese classical literature. All literature is an artistic expression of man and human life, but in some literary works, importance is attached to the description of man and human life, while in others stress is placed on the character-building. GENJI MONOGATARI excels both in its description of human life and its character-building. All through its 54 Volumes, the life of the court nobles of the Heian Period is realistically described, and in addition, there is a vivid description of the mental developments of many men and women. Especially, main female characters and their psychologies are depicted with great skill. Thus in GENJI MONOGATARI, which is enriched with fine characterization, character-building is consistently sought after. The whole subjects and design of this long novel not only testify to this, but also the delineation of main characters show how men grow up and build up their character. This can be said of the hero, Prince Genji and other persons such as Kaoru-no-Kimi, Fujitsubo-no-Nyōgo, Murasaki-no-Ue, Akashi-no-Ue and Ukifune. In the case of Murasaki-no-Ue and Akashi-no-Ue, they show a steady growth toward the building of their character from beginning to end, while such women as Fujitsubo-no-Nyōgo and Ukifune complete their spiritual growths only after they make blunders in their love affairs. In the latter case, the problems of sexual desires, morality and religion are also involved. One would be unfairly prejudiced if one should criticize GENJI MONOGATARI from the moralistic or religious standpoints alone. Motoori Norinaga (1703-1801)rightly appreciated this literary masterpiece when he criticized it from his standpoint of human emotions. Based upon this interpretation, we should conclude that this literary work involves the problems of morality and religion since it is a full expression of humanity. This unique love romance GENJI MONOGATARI, was translated in part into English by Fr. Kenchō Suematsu (1855-1929), and then the entire English translation of this novel was completed by Dr. Arther [sic] Waly. Since then, it has come to be widely read in Europe and America, its artistic value in world literature being recognized by degrees.                                             Dr. Sen-ichi Hisamtasu,                                                       Honorary Professor at Tokyo University.

² from the publisher's booklet accompanying the original 1953 release