Vintage plate "Genji's carriage". Made of porcelain, covered with painting. The central place is occupied by a peacock, and on the sides scenes with the Genji carriage are interspersed with inserts of floral ornaments. Japan, twentieth century.

The Tale of Genji is a literary masterpiece of the Heian era by court lady Murasaki. Murasaki wrote the story over fourteen years and finished the last 54th chapter in 1022. The book is dedicated to the life of a fictional character, Prince Hikaru Genji. The main theme of the story is romantic - it is (mostly) Genji's relationships with women and his journey of understanding the complexity of the human personality. The search for answers in women and himself, through which the hero turns from a carefree adventurer into a seeker of truth. It is noteworthy that women and change are combined in the story about Genji’s relationship with his own wife, whose name, like the author’s, is Murasaki.