SUZUKI HARUNOBU (1725?-1770)

The picture alludes to the sad story of ninth-century poet Ono no Komachi and her lover Fukakusa-no-Shosho (General Fukakusa). Komachi demanded Fukakusa of one hundred night-long visits on a platform which was used for tying up ox-drawn carriages. He dutifully came on foot to visit her every night, regardless of absolute darkness, rain or snow. The story ends tragically as Fukakusa froze to death in deep snow with his mission unfinished on the very last night. The same print is in the collection of th eMuseum of Fine Arts, Boston, accession no. 21.4393