The Kiso Mountains in Snow

The Kiso Mountains in Snow

Utagawa Hiroshige

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This landscape was executed by Hiroshige just one year before his death as part of a set of three triptychs on the theme known as setsugetsuka (a compound term made up of the words for snow, moon, and flowers). Snow is the theme here; the moon and flowers are depicted in the other two triptychs. The immense snow-covered mountains at the center, flanked by bridges on both sides, are almost spiritual in their monumentality. The dramatic composition invites the viewer to step into a mysterious world beyond the massive white peaks.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.