Prince Genji Amusing Himself on the beach at Futami, Utagawa Kunisada

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Utagawa Kunisada, Prince Genji Amusing Himself on the beach at Futami
Utagawa Kunisada, Prince Genji Amusing Himself on the beach at Futami
Utagawa Kunisada
Prince Genji Amusing Himself on the beach at Futami
1857, 5th month, Edo period (1600–1868)
Utagawa Kunisada
1786–1864
Prince Genji Amusing Himself on the beach at Futami, 1857, 5th month, Edo period (1600–1868)
Portfolio/Series title: Hikaru shi isobe asobi no zu (The Shining Prince Amusing Himself at the Seashore)
Where object was made: Japan
Material/technique: color woodcut
Dimensions:
Sheet/Paper Dimensions (Height x Width): each: 355.6 x 241.3 mm
Sheet/Paper Dimensions (Height x Width): 14 x 9 1/2 in
Mat Dimensions (Height x Width): 20 x 36 in
Credit line: Gift of H. Lee Turner
Accession number: 1968.0001.256.a,b,c
Not on display
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Archive Label date unknown: Kunisada illustrated an extremely popular serialized novel, The False Murasaki, Rustic Genji (Nise Murasaki Inaka Genji), published in thirty-eight volumes from 1828 to 1842. Based on the eleventh-century novel Tale of Genji (Genji monogatari) by court lady-in-waiting Murasaki Shikibu (937/8-after 1014), the literary parody spawned kabuki plays and a large number of woodblock prints. Rustic Genji's singular hair-style was described in the book, its topknot divided at the end like a shrimp's tail. The parody told teh story of a libertine country prince who echoed the exploits of the eleventh-century Shining Prince Genji, but also is thought to be a thinly veiled parody of the reigning shogun. This triptych was one of a series of three, published over three consecutive years, all with the same title and shared theme of Rustic Genji enjoying Japan's beaches.