Kiritsubo’s Beauty (Final Blog Post)
Tale Of Genji Hikaru Genji Paintings – Tale Of Genji Kiritubo by Shiori Sugisaki
This image is a representation of Kiritsubo. The big cherry blossom flower represents Kiritsubo’s external beauty. The attire she wears is elaborated and filled with different colors and patterns which portrays her as a high rank lady, more like an empress. The hair style she carries and the pose as well, also allows us to think she might have been an empress, even though she wasn’t favored with such rank after her father’s death.
The white background represents the loneliness she felt every time the Emperor left her to fulfill his duties. We can see that loneliness and sadness through her facial expressions as well, she was harassed by many women that were not favored with the Emperor’s attention and love and that provoked Kiritsubo’s death, but at the same time it caused her sadness, even if she was the Emperor’s favorite among others.
The Pastel colors on the other hand, are a contrast of what the background and facial expression portray. However, at the same time, these colors allow us to make the connection to her beauty. Such colors give her some life and add more beauty to her, combined with the way she carries herself (pose). The multiple layers of clothing represents all the weight and pressure she had in her shoulders because she was with the Emperor and bore him a son, but yet, she was not considered good enough for the Emperor because she was from a lower rank and was seen as not capable to fulfill the Emperor’s needs and his lifestyle.
No responses yet