Katsushika Hokusai 葛飾 北斎
Japanese, 1760-1849
Publisher: Hibino Yohachi
Japanese, unknown
Tenji Tenno (The Emperor Tenji), first poet in the series One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets Explained by the Nurse
INV-8950
Katsushika Hokusai 葛飾 北斎
Japanese, 1760-1849
Publisher: Hibino Yohachi
Japanese, unknownc. 1835/36
Tenji Tenno (The Emperor Tenji), first poet in the series One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets Explained by the Nurse
Katsushika Hokusai 葛飾 北斎 Japanese, 1760-1849 Publisher: Hibino Yohachi Japanese, unknown →Japanese (culture or style)woodblock printprint
Date
c. 1835/36
Medium
Color woodblock print; yoko oban
Dimensions
26.2 × 37.7 cm (10 3/8 × 14 7/8 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
Clarence Buckingham Collection
Emperor Tenji (628–681) reigned from 668 to 671, during which he established Japan’s first code of civil law. This scene is based on the story that while the emperor was traveling in the countryside, a sudden shower forced him to take shelter in a flimsy, temporary hut in a rice field. His poem expresses his sympathy for his subjects who must work and endure every day under such conditions.
Coarse the rush-mat roof
Sheltering the harvest hut
Of the autumn rice field—
And my sleeves are growing wet
With the moisture dripping through.
(Translated by Clay MacCauley)
Also notable
Works in the same vein
Komurasaki of the Miuraya and Shirai Gompachi (Miuraya Komurasaki, Shirai Gompachi)
Kitagawa Utamaro 喜多川 歌麿 Japanese, c.1753-1806
Hamamatsu, from the series "Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido (Tokaido gojusan tsugi)," also known as the Tokaido with Poem (Kyoka iri Tokaido)
Utagawa Hiroshige 歌川 広重 Japanese, 1797-1858
Mitsuke: Ferries Crossing the Tenryu River (Mitsuke, Tenryugawa funawatashi), from the series "Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido (Tokaido gojusan tsugi)," also known as the Tokaido with Poem (Kyoka iri Tokaido)
Utagawa Hiroshige 歌川 広重 Japanese, 1797-1858
