Moon at Musashi Plain (Musashino no tsuki), from the series One Hundred Aspects of the Moon (Tsuki hyaku sugata) Possibly 1892 - 1894

Editor: This is Tsukioka Yoshitoshi's "Moon at Musashi Plain," from his series "One Hundred Aspects of the Moon." It’s a Japanese woodblock print showing a fox beneath a large, bright moon. It feels both mystical and lonely. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a reflection of the complex role of folklore and the construction of identity in late 19th-century Japan. Consider the fox: a trickster figure, yet also a symbol of cunning and intelligence. How does Yoshitoshi use this imagery to comment on society? Editor: So the fox isn't just a random animal, but a symbol with deeper cultural meaning. Curator: Precisely. The "One Hundred Aspects of the Moon" series allowed Yoshitoshi to explore these nuances, shaping public perceptions of history and myth through art. It makes you wonder how the socio-political climate influenced his choices. Editor: I never thought about it that way. This print now tells a much richer story.