The Maidens (Otome), Illustration to Chapter 21 of the Tale of Genji (Genji monogatari) c. 1509 - 1510

Editor: This is “The Maidens,” an illustration by Tosa Mitsunobu for the Tale of Genji. It feels both intimate and spatially disorienting. What catches your eye in this piece? Curator: The elegant geometry, almost Escher-like in its perspective, draws me in. But it’s the poignant isolation of the figures that truly resonates. Do you feel the quiet melancholy? Editor: I do. Is that typical of illustrations from the Tale of Genji? Curator: Very much so. The tale is steeped in themes of courtly love, loss, and the fleeting nature of beauty. Mitsunobu captures that beautifully. Editor: It’s fascinating how the architecture becomes a character in itself, defining their solitude. Curator: Exactly! It's like the buildings are breathing the same wistful air. We see isolation but in an architectural space that is meant to be shared, connecting. Editor: I hadn’t thought of it that way. I am beginning to notice so much more.