百人一首　うばがゑとき　三条院|Poem by Sanjō-in, from the series One Hundred Poems Explained by the Nurse (Hyakunin isshu uba ga etoki)

Art Historical Context

This woodblock print by Katsushika Hokusai belongs to his ambitious series “One Hundred Poems Explained by the Nurse,” which reimagines classical Japanese poetry through lively, accessible scenes. Created during Japan’s Edo period, the work illustrates a poem by the 11th-century emperor Sanjō-in. Rather than depicting the poet directly, Hokusai shows an elderly nurse gesturing toward a moonlit landscape, inviting viewers to connect the verse with everyday wisdom and nature’s quiet beauty. As a master of ukiyo-e, Hokusai used the woodblock medium—ink and color on paper—to reach a broad audience beyond elite circles. The print’s modest size and vibrant palette reflect the technical brilliance of Edo-period printmaking, where multiple carved blocks allowed for delicate gradations and expressive details. Here, the glowing moon and clustered human figures draw the eye, blending poetic elegance with folk storytelling. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, this impression preserves a moment when literature, art, and popular culture intertwined. It reminds modern viewers how Hokusai transformed revered poems into visual narratives that continue to resonate across 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...