Ukifune　浮舟

KEY WORD :　art history / paintings

A pictorial subject taken from "A Boat upon the Waters" Ukifune, Chapter 51 of GENJI MONOGATARI 源氏物語 (The Tale of Genji). Ukifune is a daughter of the Eighth Prince Hachinomiya 八宮 (see *Hashihime 橋姫) and half-sister to Ooigimi 大君 and Naka no kimi 中君. In this chapter Niou *Niou no Miya 匂宮 continues his pursuit of Ukifune (see *Azumaya 東屋). One night when Kaoru 薫 is away from *Uji 宇治, Niou allows himself to be mistaken for Kaoru and thereby seduces Ukifune. Returning from the capital Kaoru eventually realizes the situation. Ukifune finds herself in love with both men and contemplates suicide as the only solution. Scenes chosen for illustration include: 1 Naka no kimi, Niou's wife, receiving New Year's greeting from Ukifune along with a "whiskered" basket higeko 鬚籠 with an artificial pine branch and red berries attached while Niou is present. (see *Hatsune 初音) 2 At the end of the First Month at Uji, Niou breaks through a reed fence and spies on Ukifune, her head pillowed on her arm and surrounded by her women who are sewing and spinning thread. 3 The most often depicted scene: in the Second Month after a heavy snowfall when the moon is in the morning sky, Niou takes Ukifune out in a boat on the Uji river to the Islet of Oranges, Tachibana- no-kojima 橘の小島, accompanied by her maid and a boatman. 4 Niou taking Ukifune, dressed in white, to the house of the governor of Inaba 稲葉 across the river, where they watch the setting sun and write poems. 5 Ukifune weeping as a guardsman delivers a letter from Kaoru. 6 Outside Ukifune's residence in Uji at night, Niou, having been stopped from entering by Kaoru's guards, dismounting from his horse and speaking with Ukifune's servant Ukon 右近.

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*genji-e 源氏絵.

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