Emerging from the Robe

This painting depicts a scene from Lady Aoi (Aoi no ue), a Noh play witten in the 1400s that was the first ever to be based on The Tale of Genji. The play centers on jealousy between Lady Rokujō, a mistress of Genji, and Lady Aoi, his first wife. Neglected by Genji, Lady Rokujō becomes jealous, and her spirit leaves her body to possess Lady Aoi. In the play, Lady Aoi never actually appears onstage but is instead represented through her robe alone. Toward the end of the play, a priest is trying to exorcise the evil spirit of Lady Rokujō, which finally appears onstage as a female figure emerging from within Lady Aoi’s robe. Eventually the spirit is defeated and disappears.