Page 195 - Edo: Art in Japan, 1615–1868

ios 104 105
Katsushika Hokusai (1760 -1849) Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849)
illustrating the poem by Fujiwara no illustrating the poem by Emperor illustrating the poem by Dainagon
Michinobu, from One Hundred Poems Tenchi, from One Hundred Poems by Tsunenobu, from One Hundred Poems
by One Hundred Poets as Explained by One Hundred Poets as Explained by by One Hundred Poets as Explained by
the Wet Nurse the Wet Nurse the Wet Nurse
c. 1835-1836 c. 1835-1836 c. 1835-1836
Color woodblock print Color woodblock print Color woodblock print
Approx. 26 x 38 (ioV4 x 15) Approx. 26 x 38 (ioV4 x 15) Approx. 26 x 38 (ioV4 x 15)
Machida City Museum of Graphic Machida City Museum of Graphic Machida City Museum of Graphic
Arts, Tokyo Arts, Tokyo Arts, Tokyo
194
Though I know full well Coarse the rush-mat roof When the evening comes
That the night will come again Sheltering the harvest-hut From the rice leaves at my gate
E'en when day has dawned; — Of the autumn rice-field; — Gentle knocks are heard;
Yet in truth, I hate the sight And my sleeves are growing wet And, into my round rush-hut,
Of the morning's coming light. With the moisture dripping through. Autumn's roaming breeze makes way.
(Morse 1989,116) (Morse 1989, 26) (Morse 1989,148)

• In this scene men on foot and borne • The poet, Emperor Tenchi, was once • Hokusai chose the poem's image of
in palanquins return from a night of caught in a rainstorm while traveling the autumn evening wind to animate
revelry in the licensed entertainment through a rice field. He sought shelter his scene of plebeian subjects. A
quarters of the Yoshiwara district. in a temporary hut, but rain came traveling monk at the right grasps his
Hokusai gave a ribald interpretation through the roof and wet his sleeves. hat, and wind bends the plants in
to the romantic yearning of the court In court poetry wet sleeves are a the distant rice fields. Hokusai used
poet, comparing the poet's anguish at metaphor for tears shed and wiped homonyms for words in the poem to
his pending departure from his lover away, thus the poem indicates the set the pictorial theme of "foot wash-
to regret at leaving the brothels at emperor's sympathy for the plight of ing" and "gushing well."
dawn. Farmers in the foreground poor peasants. Hokusai's print is from The poem by Tsunenobu was innova-
carry baskets of recently harvested the viewpoint of a worker—such as tive in its suggestion that the autumn
greens, while palanquin bearers dash the wet nurse — showing travelers
down a stepped path with their cargo. in the scene and a detailed knowledge wind knocks at the door before enter-
The rush of the traffic is visually of workers' tools and methods. HG ing and carrying in the new season.
Evocation of sound was rare in Japan-
halted by the T-shaped figure of one
ese poetry before this time. Hokusai's
farmer placed just left of center. This landscape and figures follow the
figure and the placid background mood set by the poem — slow in move-
landscape evoke the bucolic setting ment, contemplative, and perhaps
that surrounded the hectic urban pensive in response to the waning of
center of Edo. HG
the year. HG