A Seated Man Looking at Potted Peonies
Classification
Painting
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Accession Number
F1903.216
Tags
About this artwork
To 1903
Art Historical Context
**A Seated Man Looking Potted Peonies** Katsushika Hokus (1760–1849) captures a serene moment from Japan's Edo period (16151868), a time of cultural flourishing and urban sophistication. Hokusai, a legendary ukiyo-e master renowned for his woodblock prints like *The Great Wave off Kanagawa here presents a kakemono—a traditional hanging scroll painting—depicting a man seated in quiet contemplation before vibrant potted peonies.kiyo-e, meaning "pictures of the floating world," celebrated everyday beauty, nature, and fleeting pleasures, blending meticulous detail with dynamic composition. Peonie...