Skip to content
Home
Favourites
0
Advanced search
Shopping cart
0
Register
Log in
Images of Edinburgh
Browse map
Area A - Z
Browse by date
Exhibitions
Current exhibition
All exhibitions
Collections
About the collections
Browse by theme
Subject A - Z
The image library for the collections of Edinburgh Libraries and Museums and Galleries
Images of Edinburgh
Browse map
Area A - Z
Browse by date
Exhibitions
Current exhibition
All exhibitions
Collections
About the collections
Browse by theme
Subject A - Z
Subject matches "Pine trees" or its children
Back to search results
The Warbler's First Song (Hatsune) Chapter 23
Kunisada I (Toyokuni III), 1853, Wood cut
Item
of 15
The Warbler's First Song (Hatsune) Chapter 23
The Warbler's First Song (Hatsune) Chapter 23
Add to favourites
Share
Item record
About this image
Related
Location
Category
Library Item
Item no
16216
Title
The Warbler's First Song (Hatsune) Chapter 23 from the series "A Modern Collection of Genji in Colour Prints" ("Ima Genji nishiki-e awase")
Description
A woman and a young girl are shown seated together. The woman wears an elaborate floral headdress that links her to the kneeling figure depicted in Tamakazura, Chapter 22. Her outer kimono is decorated with a pattern of red maple leaves suggesting that the season is autumn. Her under kimono is a pale pink colour. She holds aloft a pine branch upon which a small green bird is perched.
By her side, there is a young girl with a blue flower in her hair. She is seated on a thick cushion and appears to be reading from a scroll of paper. In front of her there stands a small black lacquer box decorated with a golden floral motif and a small brazier containing red coals. The brazier is patterned with a design inspired by the sea.
This image derives from the serial novel or 'gokan', 'A Fake Murasaki and a Rustic Genji' (Nise Murasaki Inaka Genji) written by Ryutei Tanehiko and illustrated by Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III), that was published between 1829-1842. This story reworks elements from the 'Tale of Genji' and transposes the action from the Heian period (794-1185) to the time of the Muromachi era's Onin Wars (1467-1477).
Artist / maker
Kunisada I (Toyokuni III)
Date
1853
Size
27.9 x 19.8 cm
Type
Wood cut
Location
Art and Design Library
Signed: Toyokuni ga
Censors' seals: Hama and Magome (1849-53)
Date seal: Rat year, 5th month (1852)
Kyoka poem
Murasaki Shikibu 'Tale of Genji', 'Hatsune', Chapter 23. In this chapter, Genji and his female companions at the Rokujo estate celebrate the New Year. Genji's daughter's page girls and maids present their young mistress with gifts from the Akashi Lady's quarters. The Akashi Lady has sent her daughter (Akashi no Himegimi) an artificial warbler perched on a five-needled pine. This is symbolic because the warbler normally perches on a flowering plum. The substitution of the plum with the pine suggests that the girl has found a new home for herself. The girl responds with a poem to the Akashi Lady. Genji decides to spend the night with the Akashi Lady at the risk of upsetting Murasaki. One by one, Genji visits the women on his estate and the women who live under his protection in order to wish them a happy New Year. Tamakazura, Genji's adopted daughter, is introduced to Akashi no Himegimi.
Exhibitions with this item
'A Modern Collection of Genji in Colour'
Other views of this item
Related images
Related subjects
Animals
>
Birds
>
Birds
Clothing and dress
>
Accessories
>
Headdresses
Clothing and dress
>
Garments
>
Kimonos
People
>
Adults
>
Women
People
>
Children
>
Girls
Places
>
Asia
>
Japan
Plants
>
Trees
>
Pine trees
More like this
Rights and purchasing
Option
Price
Digital File
Electronic file 72 dpi JPEG
£6.10
(inc. VAT 20%)
Add
Digital File
Electronic File 300 dpi TIFF
£31.00
(inc. VAT 20%)
Add
You can view and use digital images for personal and educational use. For more information, read our
policy on image use
.
If you wish to use our images for commercial use, please
contact us
.