Katsushika Hokusai: Yōrō Waterfall in Mino Province (1827)

(Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA)

A print made by the Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849). This piece comes from the series "A Tour of Waterfalls in Various Provinces". This one shows the Yōrō Falls, a waterfall in the town of Yōrō, in modern Gifu prefecture. The waterfall is mentioned in a legend that tells the story of a dedicated son who offered the water, which tasted like sake to his ailing father who, upon drinking it, was revived. Katsushika deliberately abbreviated the waterfall as in reality it is 32 meters high and 4 meters wide, meaning that the human figures below would be tiny. The small building on the right is a simple rest house for travellers. Print from 1827.