The Patrolman Matsui Yasumichi Prevents a Double Suicide 1875

This is a woodblock print by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, depicting a patrolman intervening in a lovers' suicide attempt. The most striking symbol here is the moon, a pale orb presiding over the scene. Throughout history, the moon has been a powerful symbol, often linked to the feminine, to cycles of life and death, and to heightened emotional states. Think of Caspar David Friedrich’s landscapes, where the moon evokes a sense of sublime melancholy and the insignificance of man before nature. In this print, the moon casts a ghostly light upon the desperate figures, mirroring their turmoil. The act of lovers' suicide, or shinju, became a recurring theme in Japanese art and literature, often romanticized as the ultimate expression of love and devotion. This moon, however, also illuminates the patrolman, the agent of order and societal norms. He is a stark reminder of the earthly constraints that thwart such romanticized notions. The moon's cold light reflects the psychological struggle between the passionate desire for union and the societal forces that seek to prevent it. The symbol resurfaces, evolves, and takes on new meanings in different historical contexts.