歌川國芳画　「源氏雲浮世画合　須磨 / 玉織姫」|“‘Exile to Suma’ (Suma): Tamaori-hime,” from the series Scenes amid Genji Clouds Matched with Ukiyo-e Pictures (Genji-gumo ukiyo e-awase)

Utagawa Kuniyoshi

ca. 1845–61 · Woodblock ōban print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper · Asian Art

歌川國芳画　「源氏雲浮世画合　須磨 / 玉織姫」|“‘Exile to Suma’ (Suma): Tamaori-hime,” from the series Scenes amid Genji Clouds Matched with Ukiyo-e Pictures (Genji-gumo ukiyo e-awase) — Utagawa Kuniyoshi

The woman on a beach, halberd in hand, is Tamaori-hime, wife of Atsumori, a heroic figure from the early fourteenth-century epic narrative Tale of the Heike. The handscroll cartouche above bears the name “Suma,” the title of Chapter 12 of The Tale of Genji. That chapter recounts Genji’s exile to the Suma coast, where he yearns for his life at court and his consort Murasaki. The connection between the Genji chapter and Tamaori is clearly the seaside setting, and it draws a parallel between Tamaori’s grief at her separation from Atsumori and Murasaki mourning the absence of Genji.

Artist: Utagawa Kuniyoshi
Date: ca. 1845–61
Medium: Woodblock ōban print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
Culture: Japan
Department: Asian Art
Credit line: Gift of Ronin Gallery, 2018

歌川國芳画 「源氏雲浮世画合 須磨 / 玉織姫」|“‘Exile to Suma’ (Suma): Tamaori-hime,” from the series Scenes amid Genji Clouds Matched with Ukiyo-e Pictures (Genji-gumo ukiyo e-awase)

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歌川國芳画　「源氏雲浮世画合　須磨 / 玉織姫」|“‘Exile to Suma’ (Suma): Tamaori-hime,” from the series Scenes amid Genji Clouds Matched with Ukiyo-e Pictures (Genji-gumo ukiyo e-awase)