Artwork

百人一首宇波か縁説権中納言定家|Poem by Gon-Chūnagon Sadaie, from the series One Hundred Poems Explained by the Nurse (Hyakunin isshu uba ga etoki)

百人一首宇波か縁説権中納言定家|Poem by Gon-Chūnagon Sadaie, from the series One Hundred Poems Explained by the Nurse (Hyakunin isshu uba ga etoki) is an ink print by the Japonisme artist Katsushika Hokusai. It dates from 1804 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

This woodblock print is part of Katsushika Hokusai’s series One Hundred Poems Explained by the Nurse, produced around 1804.

This woodblock print is part of Katsushika Hokusai’s series One Hundred Poems Explained by the Nurse, produced around 1804. It illustrates a scene inspired by a classical waka poem attributed to Gon-Chūnagon Sadaie. Unlike typical poetic illustrations, the image emphasizes physical labor rather than lyrical sentiment, depicting rural workers engaged in manual tasks amid a turbulent sky. The composition balances human effort with natural forces, reflecting Hokusai’s interest in everyday life.

Subject & Meaning

The scene portrays laborers preparing materials—stacking baskets, carrying bundles, tying sticks—suggesting preparation for storage or transport. The poem’s theme of fleeting connections is rendered not through emotion but through collective toil. The dark form in the sky may allude to impermanence, aligning with the poem’s contemplative tone. Hokusai shifts focus from the poet’s inner world to the visible, unglamorous work sustaining daily existence.

Technique & Style

Hokusai employs bold outlines, flat planes of color, and dynamic composition to convey movement and texture. The swirling clouds and exaggerated scale of the basket stacks heighten visual tension. Ink and mineral pigments are applied with precision, typical of ukiyo-e printing. The figures are rendered with simplified anatomy, emphasizing posture and action over individual identity, reinforcing the theme of communal labor.

History & Provenance

Created in 1804 during Hokusai’s early mature period, this print belongs to a series commissioned to pair classical poetry with contemporary scenes. It was likely distributed as a printed booklet for popular consumption. The Metropolitan Museum of Art acquired it as part of a broader collection of Japanese prints, preserving its role as a cultural artifact bridging literary tradition and Edo-period visual culture.

Context

During the Edo period, woodblock prints often depicted urban pleasures, but Hokusai increasingly turned to rural and laboring subjects. This print reflects a growing interest in the lives of common people, influenced by Confucian ideals of diligence and the rise of a literate merchant class. The series itself sought to make classical poetry accessible by grounding it in observable reality rather than idealized imagery.

Legacy

Hokusai’s depiction of labor in this print contributed to a broader shift in Japanese art toward documenting everyday life with dignity. It influenced later ukiyo-e artists and, through Western exposure, helped redefine perceptions of Japanese aesthetics beyond decorative motifs. The print remains a quiet testament to the value of unseen work in sustaining cultural and social structures.