Original Masao Ebina (1913 - 1980) Japanese Woodblock print set
Complete Boxed Set with 54 Woodblock Prints
Series; The Tale of Genji

This Complete Set - Fantastic, complete boxed set of Masao Ebina's classic series "The Tale of Genji." Written during the Heian era by noblewoman Murasaki Shikibu, "The Tale of Genji is one of the earliest and greatest works of Japanese literature. The novel's fifty-four chapters recount the adventures of Prince Genji throughout his life, documenting courtly life and romance during the 11th century.

Masao Ebina's Fantastic Genji Series - This is rare complete set of noted artist Masao Ebina's lovely illustrations for the "Tale of Genji." As Murasaki’s "Tale of Genji" is a very early work of Japanese literature, Masao Ebina created these elegant images using the Kano School style of painting, with a classic sense of flattened perspectives, simplified figures, and a rich color palette. Lavishly published by Yamada Shoin in 1953, many images are accented with shimmering metallic silver or gold, and some subjects required up to fifty or more printing operations to produce them. The set comprises 54 woodblock prints, one for each chapter of the beloved novel, along with a table of contents and title page, in a traditional cloth-covered storage box with tie closures. Each print is housed in a windowed viewing folder with an attached text panel in both English and Japanese. 

It's extremely rare to find a complete set of Masao Ebina's "Tale of Genji," including the original folding storage box as issued by the publisher. The prints are still in their individual windowed viewing folders and have never been removed or displayed. This is a very handsome set with beautiful color, the prints in clean and crisp condition. A great opportunity to acquire a complete set of these iconic images from the timeless "Tale of Genji."

Click Here to View Examples from the Set

Artist - Masao Ebina (1913 - 1980)
Size - Each print 8 1/4" x 12 1/8" + margins as shown; viewing folders 10 1/8" x 13 3/4"; overall size 10 5/8" x 14 1/2" x 2 1/2"
Condition - With excellent color and detail as shown. Attached to windowed viewing folder at top and bottom edges. Prints in excellent condition overall, beautifully preserved with fine color and mica details.