A novel can outlive its first readers by becoming a source of new art. The Tale of Genji, written by Murasaki Shikibu at the early eleventh-century imperial court, has inspired artists across a millennium.
Its courtly story follows Genji, the Shining Prince, and a vivid cast of characters. The Metropolitan Museum’s exhibition traced the tale’s afterlife through more than 120 works: paintings and calligraphy alongside robes, lacquer objects, woodblock prints, and modern manga. The range makes clear that Genji did not stay inside the boundaries of a bound book.
Each era could approach the story through its own materials and visual language. A painted scene, a patterned garment, or a contemporary comic offers another way to enter its world. The long chain of responses is itself part of the literary history.