The Seer (Maboroshi), Illustration to Chapter 41 of the Tale of Genji (Genji monogatari)

The Seer (Maboroshi), Illustration to Chapter 41 of the Tale of Genji

The Seer (Maboroshi) is an illustration attributed to Tosa Mitsunobu, a prominent Japanese painter of the late 15th and early 16th centuries. This work is part of a series illustrating the Tale of Genji, a classic of Japanese literature written by Murasaki Shikibu in the early 11th century. The painting employs ink and color on paper, a traditional medium that allows for delicate and expressive brushwork. Tosa Mitsunobu, the founder of the Tosa school, was instrumental in developing a style that combined elements of Yamato-e, a classical Japanese painting style, with the narrative richness of the Genji illustrations. His work is significant for its contribution to the preservation and interpretation of Japanese literary classics through visual art. The Tosa school, under Mitsunobu's influence, became renowned for its detailed and refined approach to narrative painting, impacting subsequent generations of Japanese artists.

"The Seer (Maboroshi), Illustration to Chapter 41 of the Tale of Genji" by Tosa Mitsunobu is an exquisite example of Japanese Yamato-e style, characterized by its delicate use of ink and color on paper to depict scenes from classical literature. The artwork illustrates a poignant moment from the "Tale of Genji," capturing the emotional depth and narrative complexity of the Heian period masterpiece.