Scenes from the Tale of Genji painted on a six-panel folding screen. Early 17th century, Tosa school, artist unknown. The Tale of Genji was written by Murasaki Shikibu (Lady Murasaki) (c. 973 - c. 1014 or 1025) in the early 11th century. She was a Japanese novelist, poet and lady-in-waiting of the imperial court during the Heian period of Japan.