Parody of Murasaki Shikibu at Her Desk

What it is

This is a black-and-white woodblock print made around 1710 by the Edo-period artist Okumura Masanobu. It shows a man in a patterned kimono reading at a low writing stand, with an ink stone and lacquered box nearby, inside a room with a shoji screen.

Why it matters

The print is a parody, a joking take on the famous image of Murasaki Shikibu writing at her desk. It shows how deeply her image as a writer had entered popular culture by the early 18th century, enough to be playfully reworked by print artists for a wide audience.

Look closer

• What makes this image a parody rather than a straightforward portrait?
• Why might an artist turn a famous female writer's image into a joke featuring a man?
• What does this tell us about how popular and recognisable Murasaki's image had become?