About This Print
In this scene from chapter 52, The Gossamer-Fly, the twenty-seven year old Kaoru-no-kimi weeps over his sad fate and the believed suicide of Ukifune.
Source: Genji gojūshijō 源氏五十四帖, published by Shin Kōbe Shinbunsha, 1974.
The autumn advanced. Niou-Hyōbukyō-no-Miya was now making love as frivolously as ever, as if he had cleanly forgotten his grief over the [believed] death of Ukifune. On the other hand, from the mind of Kaoru-no-Kimi, the gloom did not pass away, although he would say funny things to court-ladies now and again, or went to see Onna-ichi-no-Miya, when occasion arose. Of a late autumn evening, when he gazed at the gossamer-flies flying to and fro, he sadly compared the feeble fragile insects to Ō-Kimi and Ukifune of Uji, who had died so miserably. In his eyes, warm tears would well up when he thought over the sad fates of his friends and acquaintances.
This collection's print maintains its original explanation overlay (shown below) and matting.
Explanation Overlay for IHL Cat. #2520
click on image to enlarge
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 | #2520 |
| Title or Description |  variously translated as The Drake Fly, The May Fly, Ephemerids |
| 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 | (with mat and overlay): 10 3/16 x 13 3/4 in. (25.9 x 34.9 cm) (print only): 9 3/16 x 12 11/16 in. (23.5 x 32.5 cm) |
| H x W Image | 8 3/16 x 11 7/8 (20.8 x 30.2 cm) |
| Collections This Print | Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery, Scripps College 2009.1.48; 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 | |
6/22/2021 created
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