Home‎ > ‎Artists‎ > ‎Ebina Masao (1913-1980)‎ > ‎

Utsusemi (chapter 3) from the album Illustrations for Genji monogatari in Fifty-Four Wood-Cut Prints

Ebina Masao (1913-1980)
 

Japanese Color Woodblock Print

Utsusemi (chapter 3) from the album

Illustrations for Genji monogatari

in Fifty-Four Wood-Cut Prints

by Ebina Masao, c. 1953

Ebina Masao (1913-1980)


IHL Cat. #2453

About This Print

In this scene from chapter 3, UtsusemiPrince Genji's first lover Lady Utsusemi, in the green jūnihitoe, is playing the game go with her stepdaughter Nokiba-no-ogi.

Source: The Tale of Genji, Lady Murasaki, Dead Authors Society, 2018
Hoping to see them at the Go board, Genji slipped from his hiding place and made his way through the door and the blinds. The shutter through which the boy had gone was still raised. Genji could see through to the west. One panel of a screen just inside had been folded back, and the curtains which should shielded off the space beyond, had been thrown over their frames, perhaps because of the heat. The view was unobstructed.

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


Print Details

 IHL Catalog #2457
 Title or Description
Utusemi 空蝉
variously translated as The Shell of the Locust, The Cicada Shell, A Molted Cicada Shell, Beautiful Cicada
 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 9 1/16 x 12 9/16 in. (23 x 31.9 cm)
 H x W Image 8 11/16 x 12 1/8 in. (22.1 x 30.8 cm)
 Collections This Print Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery, Scripps College 2015.1.14; 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 
latest revision:
3/23/2021 created