diagonal lines suggest three-dimensional space. The painter omitted
roofs and ceilings to allow a privileged view of the interior spaces
where the action takes place. The unusual angles were also intended
as metaphors for the emotions of the characters depicted. Flat fields
of unshaded color emphasize the painting’s two-dimensional char-
acter. Rich patterns in the textiles and architectural ornament give a
feeling of sumptuousness. The human figures appear constructed of
stiff layers of contrasting fabrics, and the artist simplified and gener-
alized the aristocratic faces, using a technique called “a line for the
eye and a hook for the nose.” This lack of individualization may
reflect societal restrictions on looking directly at exalted persons.
Several formal features of the Genji illustrations—native subjects,
bright mineral pigments, lack of emphasis on strong brushwork, and
general flatness—were later considered typical ofyamato-e (native-
style painting; the term yamato means “Japan” and is used to describe
anything that is characteristically Japanese).LEGENDS OF MOUNT SHIGIHeian painting was diverse in
both style and subject matter.Legends of Mount Shigi,painted dur-
ing the late 12th century, represents a different facet of Heian nar-
rative handscroll painting. The stories belong to a genre of pious
Buddhist tales devoted to miraculous events involving virtuousBuddhist Japan 217D
uring the Nara and especially the Heian periods, the Japanese
imperial court developed as the center of an elite culture. In a
time of peace and prosperity, the aristocracy had the leisure to play
musical instruments and write poetry. Exchanging poems became a
common social practice and a frequent preoccupation of lovers.
Both men and women produced poems as well as paintings and cal-
ligraphy that critics generally consider “classical” today. Heian court
members, especially those from the great Fujiwara clan that domi-
nated the court for a century and a half and built the Phoenix Hall
(FIG. 8-13) at Uji, compiled the first great anthologies of Japanese
poetry and wrote Japan’s most influential secular prose.
A lady-in-waiting to an empress of the early 11th century wrote
the best-known work of literature in Japan,Tale of Genji.Known asLady Murasaki, the author is one of many important Heian women
writers, including especially diarists and poets. Generally considered
the world’s first lengthy novel (the English translation is almost a
thousand pages),Tale of Genji tells of the life and loves of Prince
Genji and, after his death, of his heirs. The novel and much of Japa-
nese literature consistently display a sensitivity to the sadness in the
world caused by the transience of love and life. These human senti-
ments are often intertwined with the seasonality of nature. For ex-
ample, the full moon, flying geese,crying deer,and certain plants
symbolize autumn, which in turn evokes somber emotions, fading
love, and dying. These concrete but evocative images frequently ap-
pear in paintings, such as the illustrated scrolls ofTale of Genji
(FIG. 8-14).Heian Court Culture
ART AND SOCIETY8-14Genji Visits Murasaki,from the Minori chapter,Tale of Genji,Heian period, first half of 12th century. Handscroll, ink and color on paper,
8 –^58 high. Goto Art Museum, Tokyo.
In this handscroll illustrating Lady Murasaki’s Tale of Genji,the upturned ground plane and diagonal lines suggest three-dimensional space.
Flat fields of color emphasize the painting’s two-dimensional character.1 in.