Reproduction of an C18th woodblock print by Suzuki Harunobu, 'Parody of Monk Saigyô gazing at Mt Fuji', overlaid with a topographic map of the summit of Mt Fuji. The print is an example of mitate-e, one of the prominent genres of ukiyo-e printmaking. In critical discussions of waka poetry, mitate is generally used to denote figurative language of various kinds, often involving indirect metaphors or comparisons. Its use by the ukiyo-e artists resulted in simultaneous, multiple layers of meaning which coexisted rather than blended, a complex doubling of seemingly unrelated subjects.
Next image is a closeup of the map area.
For more information read the gallery notes from this work. |
