Wild Geese and Water
Medium
Hanging scroll; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
Image: 11 3/16 × 27 9/16 in. (28.4 × 70 cm) Overall with mounting: 45 3/8 × 30 7/16 in. (115.3 × 77.3 cm) Overall with knobs: 45 3/8 × 30 13/16 in. (115.3 × 78.2 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
H. O. Havemeyer Collection, Bequest of Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, 1929
Accession Number
29.100.1403
Tags
Art Historical Context
Katsushika Hokusai’s *Wild Geese and Water*1839) captures a tranquil natural scene of migrating geese gliding over flowing streams. Created during Japan’s Edo period, this hanging scroll demonstrates Hokusai’s mastery of ink and light color on paper, a traditional format designed for seasonal display in Japanese homes and temples. At the time, Hokusai was already renowned for his woodblock prints, yet he continued to explore painting in his later years, blending delicate brushwork with a keen observation of the natural world. The composition reflects the cultural reverence for seasonal motifs...
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...