Ukiyo-e Poster Expressing the Harmony between Art and Nature - The Pine Tree for Hanging the Monk's Coat by Hiroshige

"The Pine Tree for Hanging the Monk's Cloak at Lake Senzoku no Ike" (original title: 千束の池袈裟懸松) is a woodblock print by the Japanese painter and illustrator Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) produced in February 1856.

The Kesakakematsu pine ("pine for hanging the monk's coat") takes its name from an anecdote according to which the monk Nichiren stopped along the way to rest, hanging his coat on a branch of this remarkable tree. This twisted-trunk pine stands on a strip of land that juts out into the lake, occupying the center right of the image. Around its base, a fence attracts a few curious visitors. At the bottom of the image, along the road that runs alongside the lake, a shop sells food and drinks, while travelers move along this path. In the middle of the image, a darker blue hue in the shape of a crescent emphasizes the depth of the lake, flown over by three herons. On the other side of the shore, hidden in the forest, stands the Senzoku Hachiman Shrine. As is often the case in Hiroshige's landscapes, mountains emerge from the mist in the background. The reddish tone of the horizon suggests the end of the day. This print is one of the first five to be approved by the censor.