One Hundred Aspects of the Moon

About this book

A monk pauses on a moonlit bridge. Warriors face death beneath a pale sky, and a woman watches the light fall across an empty room. The moon changes its meaning with every story Tsukioka Yoshitoshi chooses to depict.

Created between 1885 and 1892, this series of one hundred Japanese woodblock prints draws upon history, poetry, theatre and legend. Some images contain violent moments; others seem almost silent. Their colour, composition and expressive restraint make the series one of the great achievements of late ukiyo-e. Each print asks the viewer to find the story held inside a single instant.