The Cicada Shell (Utsusemi), Illustration to Chapter 3 of the Tale of Genji (Genji monogatari) c. 1509 - 1510

Curator: Tosa Mitsunobu, we believe, rendered this illustration, Utsusemi, or "The Cicada Shell", for Chapter 3 of the Tale of Genji. It's currently in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The abrupt angles and planes! It’s almost unsettling. The flattened perspective is clearly deliberate, offering this bird's-eye view into a very private scene. Curator: Indeed. The golden clouds perhaps indicate a dreamscape, or a fleeting moment in time, fitting the chapter’s exploration of elusive beauty and unattainable love. The cicada shell itself symbolizes emptiness, a discarded facade. Editor: The sharp contrast between the intricate patterns of the kimonos and the stark geometry of the architectural elements really draws the eye. It’s a sophisticated composition. Curator: The figures, though small, carry a great weight of emotion. Observe the guarded expression of the figure peering through the lattice—a voyeur, perhaps hinting at the themes of hidden desires. Editor: Ultimately, this image leaves me contemplating the delicate balance between illusion and reality, presence and absence. Curator: An apt meditation, given the rich symbolic layers embedded within.