Ancient Literature in our Modern World

Tale of Genji and by Agameishi, bookriot

For this week assignment, I choose a painting that portray a mysterious outlook. The mysterious outlook of this painting is demonstrated through the combinations of lights and curtains. Through my interpretations, I thought the curtains blocking the Genji and the women portrays a blur vision of each other. Therefore, none of them could see what is behind the curtains. The lights presented in the painting on both sides illustrates their curiosity of getting to know each other, yet there is something blocking them. Even though the lights were on she never had the chance to know him. I thought image is also a representation of the gap between the women’s and the husband role. Throughout the novel, there were several times where we were presented with Genji sleeping with multiple women’s and having no clear vision of her physical features. I thought this image connects to the story line through Genji’s perspective because he never got a clear vision of their face. Yet, this blur vision of the woman didn’t seem to bother him as shown in the painting. He  seemed very confident in this painting by the way he posed with the fan. Through this painting it showed Genji’s curiosity of seeing who is behind there by bending getting closer to the curtains. I like the colors that were used in this painting, especially on Genji and the shadows. This painting helps clear my visualization of the gap that always exist between Genji and all the woman he had been with.