Poem by Sōsei Hōshi - Katsushika Hokusai

A classic woodblock print by Katsushika Hokusai from his series interpreting the Hyakunin isshu poetry anthology, featuring a serene temple scene at dusk.

This woodblock print belongs to the series One Hundred Poems Explained by the Nurse, a project in which Katsushika Hokusai interpreted the classic Hyakunin isshu anthology. The series aimed to make these classical verses accessible to common people by illustrating them with scenes of daily life and folklore. In this specific composition, Hokusai depicts the poem by Sōsei Hōshi, a monk and poet from the early Heian period. The visual narrative captures a quiet, atmospheric scene featuring a temple bell tower perched on a cliffside, overlooking a body of water with traditional thatched-roof buildings below. Two figures walk along a stone path, their posture suggesting a sense of movement through the quiet evening air. The colour palette is dominated by deep blues and earthy reds, typical of the high-quality pigments used in Hokusai's later works. The sky transitions into a dark gradient, suggesting the approach of night, while the moon hangs low, providing a sense of scale and temporal context. Hokusai uses precise line work to define the architecture and the natural features of the terrain. The inclusion of the poem text in the upper right corner serves as both a literary reference and a graphic element that balances the composition. This work demonstrates the artist's ability to blend human activity with the natural environment, a recurring theme in his later career. The print reflects the technical mastery of the woodblock medium, with clear registration and subtle shading that creates depth without relying on Western perspective techniques. It remains a fine example of how Hokusai transformed classical literature into visual storytelling for a broad audience.