Shikoku Murasaki (active ca. 1000) wrote the Tale of Genji, a novel of imperial court life considered a masterpiece of classical literature. She was a popular subject for ukiyo-e artists who depicted her dressed as a Heian court woman, or in contemporary garb in so-called parody pictures (mitate-e), which recast subjects from literature in contemporary situations. According to legend, Murasaki retreated to a mountain temple at Ishiyama and began writing her epic tale on the night of the full moon in August 1004, the event suggested here.