Artwork

Chinese Official Pausing on a Bridge to View the Snow (from the series A True Mirror of Chinese and Japanese Verse)

Chinese Official Pausing on a Bridge to View the Snow (from the series A True Mirror of Chinese and Japanese Verse) is a print by the Romanticist artist Katsushika Hokusai. It dates from 1834 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1834 by the Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai, this woodblock print belongs to the series titled A True Mirror of Chinese and Japanese Verse. The work is part of the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Subject & Meaning

The image depicts a solitary official on horseback, pausing on a curved bridge to gaze at a snow‑laden landscape. Dressed in a broad‑brimmed hat and long coat, he holds a staff, while the brown horse stands still. Snow‑covered trees and hills rise in the distance, suggesting a moment of quiet contemplation of nature’s seasonal beauty.

Technique & Style

Executed as a multicolored woodblock print, the composition balances cool blues of the sky with warm earth tones of the horse and rider. Hokusai’s precise line work defines the figures and architecture, while the layered pigments create a subtle atmospheric depth characteristic of his late Edo‑period prints.

History & Provenance

The print was produced during the final years of Hokusai’s career, a period marked by prolific output in series that combined poetry and visual art. It entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings through acquisition in the twentieth century, where it remains on display as part of the museum’s Asian art collection.