Yomogiu　蓬生

KEY WORD :　art history / paintings

A pictorial subject based on "The Wormwood Patch" Yomogiu, Chapter 15 of GENJI MONOGATARI 源氏物語 (The Tale of Genji). While Genji has been in exile in *Suma 須磨, the Safflower Lady *Suetsumuhana 末摘花 has continued to wait for Genji even though she has fallen into poverty and her mansion is in ruins. On his way to visit a new love, *Hanachirusato 花散里, Genji passes by the Safflower Lady's house and, recalling their affair ten years before, pays a visit. Moved by her constancy, he undertakes to refurbish her mansion and eventually installs her at his Rokujou 六条 mansion (see *Otome 乙女) to look after her. Scenes chosen for illustration include: the Safflower Lady in her dilapidated mansion giving farewell presents to her servant jijuu 侍従 (chamberlain); and Genji coming to visit the Safflower Lady while his servant Koremitsu 惟光 clears a path through the overgrown garden. The latter scene is found in the extant 12c illustrated version (Tokugawa 徳川 Art Museum, Aichi prefecture).

REFERENCES:

*genji-e 源氏絵

EXTERNAL LINKS:

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。