Monogatari (2020)
The Tale of Genji is considered as the first psychological
novel in Japanese literary history and is attributed to the
court lady Murasaki Shikibu (approx. 978-1014).
In 54 chapters the work recounts the life of Hikaru Genji, or "Shining Genji",
the son of an ancient Japanese emperor, known to readers as Emperor Kiritsubo.
The tale concentrates on Genji's romantic life and describes the customs
of the aristocratic society of the time.
The „Monogatari“ series (japanese for tale or story) of Maximilian Davis,
consists of 10 large format paintings and 44 works on paper.
Each chapter of the book is shown on one of the works.
Two elements are found in those pictures: people indoors
engaging in activities typical of the aristocracy of the period,
such as writing letters, playing instruments,
exchanging poems or talking to each other;
and the gardens outside their buildings.
The paintings depict life at the palace with a sense of nostalgia,
timeless and very retained, but purely decorative elements
such as landscapes and contemplative scenes are added.
The drawings lay more focus on the „pseudo-calligraphic“
work as a depiction of the content.
They consist of delicate flowing lines and other definite brush strokes.
The purpose of this style of calligraphy is more for aesthetic enjoyment
of the design rather than for reading.
In the tradition of the illustrated handscrolls, or "emaki",
Davis tries to convey the full loaded content of the book aswell as the poetry
into these so to say written pictorial works.
The calligraphic interplay between the written word and the depiction.
Reading a painting and its poetry becomes an exercise.
Read Morenovel in Japanese literary history and is attributed to the
court lady Murasaki Shikibu (approx. 978-1014).
In 54 chapters the work recounts the life of Hikaru Genji, or "Shining Genji",
the son of an ancient Japanese emperor, known to readers as Emperor Kiritsubo.
The tale concentrates on Genji's romantic life and describes the customs
of the aristocratic society of the time.
The „Monogatari“ series (japanese for tale or story) of Maximilian Davis,
consists of 10 large format paintings and 44 works on paper.
Each chapter of the book is shown on one of the works.
Two elements are found in those pictures: people indoors
engaging in activities typical of the aristocracy of the period,
such as writing letters, playing instruments,
exchanging poems or talking to each other;
and the gardens outside their buildings.
The paintings depict life at the palace with a sense of nostalgia,
timeless and very retained, but purely decorative elements
such as landscapes and contemplative scenes are added.
The drawings lay more focus on the „pseudo-calligraphic“
work as a depiction of the content.
They consist of delicate flowing lines and other definite brush strokes.
The purpose of this style of calligraphy is more for aesthetic enjoyment
of the design rather than for reading.
In the tradition of the illustrated handscrolls, or "emaki",
Davis tries to convey the full loaded content of the book aswell as the poetry
into these so to say written pictorial works.
The calligraphic interplay between the written word and the depiction.
Reading a painting and its poetry becomes an exercise.
