Watercolor of Lady Murasaki Shikibu the author of The Tale of Genji
Watercolor is Silk Mating and Kato Framing. The Tale of Genji is the most famous work of Japanese literature and the world's first novel--written a thousand years ago and one of the enduring classics of world literature.

Lady Murasaki Shikibu, born in the year 978, was a member of the famed Fujiwara clan--one of the most influential families of the Heian period. Her literary ability quickly won her a place in the entourage of the Empress Akiko, whose court valued the rare woman who was a master of writing. After the death of her husband, Murasaki Shikibu immersed herself in Buddhism, and the religion's influences permeate her writing.
Frame: 12.25" x 13.75 Art: 7" x 8"