歌川国芳画 「高祖御一代略図 佐州流刑角田波題目」|Concise Illustrated Biography of Monk Nichiren: Calming the Stormy Sea at Tsunoda in Exile to Sado Island
1836
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From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art
1836
ink
From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art
This print shows a wild, stormy sea with huge waves crashing around a wooden boat. Inside, a group of people—some standing, some kneeling—look terrified as water swirls around them. On the shore, a tall red tower stands out against dark clouds and a distant island. The artist packed in tiny details, like the way the waves twist and the people’s clothes flap in the wind. This scene comes from a story about a monk’s journey, but the focus is on the drama of the storm. Next, check out Utagawa Kuniyoshi to see how he turned chaos into art.
