About This Print
In this scene from chapter 17, Court Ladies Saigū and Kokiden compete with each other in a display of painting skills.
Source: Genji gojūshijō 源氏五十四帖, published by Shin Kōbe Shinbunsha, 1974.
About March 10, when the wintry cold was on the wane, lady's maids both under Kokiden and Saigū held a party of picture competition in the presence of the Emperor. Fujitsubo presided over the party as a judge. Neither side, however, came out victorious.
About twenty days later, the party met again. Prince Sochi - the son of the former Emperor Kiritsubo and the brother of the present Emperor - worked as a judge this time. The competition continued undecided for a long time. The maids under Siagū finally took out an illustrated diary written by Prince Genji while he was on exile at Suma. This brought them a victory. The judge commented this way: "Without concentration no great talent can achieve much..."
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
For information about the album please go to Hahakigi (chapter 2) from the album Illustrations for Genji monogatari in Fifty-Four Wood-Cut Prints on this site.
Print Details
| IHL Catalog | #2497 |
| Title or Description |  variously translated as The Picture Competition; A Picture Contest; The Picture Contest; A Contest of Illustrations |
| Series | Illustrations for Genji monogatari in Fifty-Four Wood-Cut Prints 木版画源氏五十四帖 Mokuhanga Genji gojūyonjō |
| Artist | Ebina Masao (1913-1980) |
| Signature | not signed |
| Seal | 正夫 Masao |
| Publication Date | 1953 or after (originally issued 1953; multiple editions are known) |
| Publisher | Yamada Shoin 山田書院 |
| Carver | carving supervised by Yoshio Kawamo [Kawatsura Yoshio 川面義雄 (1880-1963)] |
| Printer | |
| Impression | excellent |
| Colors | excellent |
| Condition | excellent |
| Genre | genji-e |
| Miscellaneous | |
| Format | ōban |
| H x W Paper | 8 3/4 x 12 7/16 in. (22.2 x 31.6 cm) |
| H x W Image | 8 5/16 x 11 15/16 in. (21.1 x 30.3 cm) |
| Collections This Print | Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery, Scripps College 2006.1.19; University of Kansas Libraries KU Bib ID: 4123242 (entire portfolio; images not shown); National Diet Library Call Number 913.36-E17g-K (entire portfolio dated 1958; images not shown) |
| Reference Literature | |
5/30/2021 created
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