A Fairy Moon and a Lonely Shore

A fairy moon and a lonely shore. Shows a man with a shoulder pole walking along a moonlite shore. The term fairy moon (black moon) refers to an additional new moon that appears in a month or in a season. It may also refer to the absence of a full moon or of a new moon in a month. Since ancient times the Japanese have contemplated the combination of snow, flowers, moon, and the beauties of nature. And not only have they contemplated such scenes, they've also made them favored themes for paintings and poetry. The symbolic meaning of the moon is closely tied to the act of rejuvenation. Ukiyo-e (picture of the floating world) is a genre of Japanese art which flourished from the 17th through 19th centuries. Ukiyo-e was central to forming the West's perception of Japanese art in the late 19th century.The landscape genre has come to dominate Western perceptions of ukiyo-e, though ukiyo-e had a long history preceding these late-era masters. The Japanese landscape differed from the Western tradition in that it relied more heavily on imagination, composition, and atmosphere than on strict observance of nature. No artist credited, circa 1890 and 1940

Picture No

12698823

Media ID

47673469

Size

4650px x 3016px (6.1MB)

Credit

LOC/Science Source/Mary Evans