"Ohara Koson's "Monkey and Reflection of the Moon" is a famous Japanese woodblock print (shin-hanga) showing a monkey (often a gibbon or macaque) reaching for the moon's shimmering image in water, symbolising the futility of chasing illusions and mistaking appearances for reality, a common theme in Zen Buddhism, available widely as art prints.
About the Artwork
Artist: Ohara Koson (1877-1945), a master of birds and flowers (kacho-e) within the Shin-hanga movement, known for detailed, vibrant nature prints.
Subject: A monkey, sometimes with a baby, hangs from a branch, its paw extended towards the moon's reflection in a pond or river.
Meaning: It's a classic parable about attachment, illusion (maya), and the difference between the true self and worldly desires, deeply rooted in Buddhist philosophy,