Poem by Emperor Tenchi - Katsushika Hokusai

A classic woodblock print by Katsushika Hokusai depicting rural labourers at harvest time, from his series illustrating the One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets.

This woodblock print by Katsushika Hokusai belongs to the series One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets Explained by the Nurse. The work illustrates a poem attributed to Emperor Tenchi, which reflects on the hardships of rural life and the labour of the harvest. Hokusai depicts a scene of agricultural activity, showing farmers carrying sheaves of rice across a wooden bridge and through the fields. The composition balances the human figures with the natural environment, featuring a distant mountain range under a soft, gradient sky. Hokusai employs a refined colour palette, utilising Prussian blue to define the water and the foliage, which contrasts with the golden tones of the harvested rice. The print demonstrates his mastery of line and spatial organisation, common in his later career. The figures are rendered with economy, their postures conveying the physical effort of their work. The inclusion of the poem in the upper right corner integrates text with image, a characteristic feature of this series. This print offers a view into the daily lives of rural workers during the Edo period, presented with the technical precision associated with Hokusai's output. The use of woodblock printing allows for the clean lines and flat areas of colour that define the aesthetic of the period. This piece remains a clear example of the artist's ability to combine literary themes with observations of the natural world.