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Love and Fear on the Musashi Plain: Kajita Hanko's Masterpiece from the Tales of Ise

edwardluperart.com · 521 words · saved by 1 readers

I want to share with you a work of art you might not be so familiar with. Goethe once made a comment about minor artists and their place in the grand scheme of the art world: One little star in Japanese art history is Kajita Hanko (1870-1917). One of his designs, a postcard in fact, has recently enraptured me. It is the exquisite "Musashi Plain (Musashino)" from episode 12 of the "Tales of Ise" series. It shows two lovers hiding in the tall grass as flames approach: torches of people hunting them down. I love this simple yet evocative design so much, I've even made a copy of it for my desk. The "Tales of Ise" (Ise Monogatari) is a classic Japanese literary work, a collection of poems and narratives from the Heian period. Episode 12, from which Hanko's painting draws inspiration, tells a gripping and emotional story. The protagonist goes off with a woman and, as they reach the Musashi Plain, he realises the danger of being captured by the provincial governor’s men. The pursuers, suspect

I want to share with you a work of art you might not be so familiar with. Goethe once made a comment about minor artists and their place in the grand scheme of the art world: "Even the minor artists have their place in the constellation of art, like little stars in the firmament. They, too, contribute to the beauty and completeness of the whole." One little star in Japanese art history is Kajita Hanko (1870-1917). One of his designs, a postcard in fact, has recently enraptured me. It is the exquisite "Musashi Plain (Musashino)" from episode 12 of the "Tales of Ise" series. It shows two lovers

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