1804
ink
paper
From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art
百人一首 乳母か縁説 中納言家持|Poem by Chūnagon Yakamochi (Ōtomo no Yakamochi), from the series One Hundred Poems Explained by the Nurse (Hyakunin isshu uba ga etoki) is a 1804 ink by Katsushika Hokusai, a Japonisme work, depicting Boat, held at Metropolitan Museum of Art.
This print shows a bright blue harbor with two boats. One is a long, sleek wooden ship with people standing at the front. The other is a smaller, boxy boat with a yellow door. Behind them, red cliffs rise sharply, and a quiet sunset glows in the sky. The artist mixed bold colors—deep reds, blues, and greens—with simple shapes. The text on the right side is in Japanese, likely explaining the poem linked to the scene. Next, look up Katsushika Hokusai to see more of his bold, colorful prints.
Katsushika Hokusai spent his life in Edo, now Tokyo, where he drew and carved prints for a living.
See the richer artist page
