Genji in Exile at Suma (Suma zu byōbu)
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.A solitary Genji gazes out toward the sea during his exile at Suma. The thatched roof, pine-tree columns, and stone steps convey the rustic quality of his seaside abode, while blossoming cherry trees and the koto by his side connote the elegance of the capital he left behind. Outside, a solitary figure in a raincoat, likely a messenger sent by Murasaki, walks in Genji’s direction; the diagonal shoreline and surging waves create a dynamic connection between the two men. This screen represents a development in which artists depicted episodes from the tale in large-scale ink landscapes, blending Chinese-style painting (kanga) with the gold clouds and gold wash of yamato-e to create a new style.
Artwork Details
- 須磨図屏風
- Title: Genji in Exile at Suma (Suma zu byōbu)
- Period: Momoyama period (1573–1615)
- Date: late 16th century
- Culture: Japan
- Medium: Six-panel folding screen; ink, color, gold, and silver on paper
- Dimensions: Image: 58 1/4 in. × 11 ft. 5 in. (148 × 348 cm)
- Classification: Screens
- Credit Line: Lent by Kimbell Art Museum
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art