Returned to lender The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
Evening Mist” (Yūgiri), from Collection of Ancient Chinese and Japanese Stories (Wakan koji setsuwa zu)
Iwasa Matabei Japanese
Not on view
The painting shown here was inspired by the episode in which Yūgiri tries to visit his beloved Ochiba no Miya at a mountain cottage in Ono, at the western foot of Mount Hiei. He declares his love for her through the night, but she continues to refuse him entry. The empty space separating Yūgiri on the right side of the composition seems to suggest the loneliness of unrequited love. This work was originally part of a handscroll with twelve paintings treating subjects from ancient Chinese and Japanese legend and literature, three with Japanese themes that depict poignant episodes from Genji. Iwasa Matabei no doubt chose these scenes because they incorporate a dimension of psychological suggestiveness, which became a trademark of his distinctive painting style.
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