Full Moon with a Cuckoo Flying above the Masts of Moored Boats thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Full Moon with a Cuckoo Flying above the Masts of Moored Boats

Woodblock Print
ca. 1855 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The simple but well-balanced composition in this uchiwa-e (rigid fan print) design by Hiroshige is inscribed with a haiku (a 17-syllable poem). The poem reads:

Hitokoe wa
Tsuki ga naita ka
Hototogisu

(A single call
Did the moon cry out?
A passing cuckoo.)

The sense is that if someone hears a cuckoo cry, by the time they look up the bird has already flown past, so it seems as if the moon has called out. The rib marks on this print reveal that it was previously mounted as a fan.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleFull Moon with a Cuckoo Flying above the Masts of Moored Boats (popular title)
Materials and techniques
Colour print from woodblocks
Brief description
Woodblock print, Utagawa Hiroshige I; Full Moon with a Cuckoo Flying above the Masts of Moored Boats; fan print, Japanese, about 1855
Physical description
Fan print, aiban size. Artist signature: Hiroshige ga. Publisher mark: Enshuya Matabei.
Dimensions
  • Approx. height: 220mm
  • Approx. width: 290mm
Style
Credit line
Webb Bequest
Summary
The simple but well-balanced composition in this uchiwa-e (rigid fan print) design by Hiroshige is inscribed with a haiku (a 17-syllable poem). The poem reads:

Hitokoe wa
Tsuki ga naita ka
Hototogisu

(A single call
Did the moon cry out?
A passing cuckoo.)

The sense is that if someone hears a cuckoo cry, by the time they look up the bird has already flown past, so it seems as if the moon has called out. The rib marks on this print reveal that it was previously mounted as a fan.
Collection
Accession number
E.4860-1919

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Record createdDecember 17, 2003
Record URL
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