雪月花　淀川|Moonlight on the Yodo River (Yodogawa), from the series Snow, Moon, and Flowers (Setsugekka)

Art Historical Context

Katsushika Hokus's *Moonlight on the Y River (Yodogawa)*, from the series *, Moon, and Flowers (Setsugekka)*, a tranquil night scene along Japan's Yodo River around 1833. This wood print depicts boats gliding under a luminous full moon, with riverside houses dotting the misty banks. The *Setsugekka* theme draws from classical Japanese poetry, celebrating nature's three supreme beauties—snow, moon, and flowers—as fleeting moments of perfection, inviting viewers to savor ephemeral harmony. As a pinnacle of ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world"), Hokusai's mastery shines in his innovative use of color and composition. Printed with ink and pigments on paper through meticulous woodblock carving—a collaborative process involving artists, carvers, printers, and publishers—this affordable medium democratized art during the Edo period (1615–1868). Hokusai, already legendary at 73 for works like *The Great Wave*, infused everyday landscapes with poetic depth, blending realism and abstraction. Acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art via the Rogers Fund in 1922, this 9⅝ × 14½-inch print exemplifies how ukiyo-e bridged urban life and Zen-like contemplation, influencing global artists from Van Gogh to modern designers. Gaze upon it and feel the moon's gentle glow bridging centuries.

About the Artist

Katsushika Hokusai · 1760–1849

Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) stands as one of history's most influential artists, a Japanese master who revolutionized the ukiyo-e woodblock print tradition and profoundly shaped Western art. Born in the Katsushika district of Edo (modern-day Tokyo) to an artisan family, Hokusai lived through nearly nine decades of extraordinary creative evolution, adopting over thirty different artistic names t...