Genji Goj? Yoj?, (Lingering Sentiments of a Late Collection of Genji), Volume 14, Aoi 源氏後集余情　第十四の巻　葵

This is a genji-e (illustrations relating to The Tale of Genji) created as nishiki-e print based on an insert illustration from ""Nise Murasaki Inaka Genji"". On the right hand side, we see the main character, Mitsuuji, standing while holding a tufted tooth pick and looking on at Murasaki no Ue. Murasaki no Ue, sitting in front of the basin in the morning, looks away shyly. We can identify a hollyhock alongside a genjik? pattern on the basin, the water pot, and the hanging towel. A part of the illustration design was taken from the cover of ""Nise Murasaki Inaka Genji"", Volume 14 and was titled ""Aoi"", indicating the storyline of Volume 14. This print was published in 1857 (Ansei 4) by the publisher Uoya Eikichi and is advertised in the illustration titled ""Imayou Mitate Shin?k?sh? Sh?nin"" (Ansei 4, Edo Tokyo Museum collection), which is also published by Uoya Eikichi. As it is often the case with advertisements, ""Genji Goj? Yoj?"" is advertised with an exaggeration: ""Illustration by Ichiy?sai Toyoukuni, Masterpiece of a Lifetime, Genji Goj? Yoj?, large sized, brilliantly colored nishiki-e, 54 sets of diptych."" Apart from enjoying the colorful illustration itself, the print is profoundly interesting in that we can also learn from it the publishing and advertisement culture of Edo.