The Tale of Genji

The poetic, captivating "Tale of Genji" was written in the early 11th century in Japan. Prince Genji falls in love, meets with friends, matures, and soon his children are discussing love and composing poems. The remarkable world of Japanese society and nature is described, most likely, by a court lady named Murasaki Shikibu. Through her observation and talent, moving in the upper echelons of Japan, she preserved for us the fashion, festivities, and customs of the Heian era; she captured the subtleties of world perception and human relationships. The heroes of the "Tale of Genji" love, suffer, and compose poetry, and this has been wonderfully captured by contemporary Japanese artist Hiroaki Miyama. His unique engravings for the immortal "Tale of Genji" are a true delight for connoisseurs. The engravings illustrate the great work as much as the fragments of the "Tale" illustrate and explain what the artist has depicted. By combining in the space of a single edition, they form a truly beautiful union and a magnificent book. The comments of leading domestic art historians add additional scholarly and cultural value to the book.