Returned to lender The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
“Exile to Suma” (Suma), from Collection of Ancient Chinese and Japanese Stories (Wakan koji setsuwa zu)
Iwasa Matabei Japanese
Not on view
This painting, inspired by a scene from Chapter 12, “Exile to Suma,” illustrates the moment when Genji seeks shelter from a violent thunderstorm. The trembling of the grasses and the fence echoes Genji’s state of anxiety in this desolate locale. This work was originally part of a handscroll consisting of twelve paintings treating subjects from ancient Chinese and Japanese legend and literature. Among the works with Japanese themes were three representing episodes from The Tale of Genji. Iwasa Matabei no doubt chose to depict these three poignant scenes from the tale’s vast iconography because they allowed him to incorporate a dimension of psychological suggestiveness, which became a trademark of his distinctive painting style.
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