Yōrō Waterfall 1887

Tazaki Sōun painted “Yōrō Waterfall” using ink and slight color on silk, during the late Edo or Meiji period. Tazaki Sōun lived through a time of dramatic transformation in Japan as it moved from a feudal society to a more modern nation-state. In this painting, Tazaki represents the famous Yōrō Waterfall as a site of natural beauty and mythical lore. What I find moving about this image is the way the artist balances the monumental scale of the landscape with a delicate, almost dreamlike quality. The falls are shrouded in mist, with the surrounding rocks and mountains rendered in soft, subtle washes of ink. The waterfall has long been a subject in Japanese art and culture. In representing this iconic site, Tazaki engages with themes of national identity and cultural heritage, during a period when Japan was actively negotiating its place in the world. “Yōrō Waterfall” invites us to reflect on our relationship with nature.