Utsusemi　空蝉

KEY WORD :　art history / paintings

A pictorial subject based on "The Shell of the Locust" Utsusemi, Chapter 3 of GENJI MONOGATARI 源氏物語 (The Tale of Genji), or on the name of the chief female protagonist in the chapter who in English versions is known as "the Lady of the Locust Shell". While the Governor of Kii, Kii no Kami 紀伊守 is absent, Genji once again visits the Governor's mansion and spies on Utsusemi playing a game of go 碁 with her step-daughter, Nokiba no Ogi 軒端荻, both revealingly underdressed in the warm summer night. Later, he searches for Utsusemi in her room, but she flees and Genji, mistaking Nokiba no Ogi for her, makes love to the other woman. The go game scene is the one most frequently illustrated from this chapter.

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*genji-e 源氏絵.

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NOTES:

(C)2001 Japanese Architecture and Art Net Users System.　No reproduction or republication without written permission. 掲載のテキスト・写真・イラストなど、全てのコンテンツの無断複製・転載を禁じます。