Utagawa Hiroshige
1832-35

Waxing Crescent Moon
A Horned Owl
Taking a Boat Ride
The Wind in the Pines Flowing Into its Ears
Like a Song on the Koto
Hachijintei

Hachijintei was a lifelong collaborator of Hiroshige’s and created the most poems for Hiroshige’s works. In this print, a waning crescent moon is depicted in a diagonal composition with a horned owl resting on a pine branch. As the poem describes a waxing crescent moon, it is thought that Hiroshige flipped the moon to create a more balanced composition over accuracy. Pine cones, that are designated as an autumnal poetic term, are also depicted.