Chrysanthemums and Horsefly 

Katsushika Hokusai created this woodblock print, “Chrysanthemums and Horsefly”, that now resides in the Guimet Museum in Paris. The image is a study in contrasts: the soft, round shapes of the chrysanthemums against the sharp, angular lines of the horsefly. Consider how Hokusai has carefully balanced color and form. The pastel shades of the flowers contrast against the deeper blues of the leaves. This composition is not just a rendering of nature, but an arrangement of visual elements that engage with concepts of space and perspective. The presence of the horsefly, seemingly a minor detail, challenges our expectations. It introduces a sense of the everyday into the idealized beauty of the flowers. Hokusai invites us to question fixed meanings and to see the world in a dynamic interplay of elements. This print serves as a reminder that art is always open to interpretation, its meaning unfolding with each viewing.