Swallows and Peach Blossoms under a Full Moon

Hiroshige depicts a pair of barn swallows alighting among the branches of a flowering peach tree beneath a full moon. The composition combines the lively movement of the birds with the quiet luminosity of the moon and the graceful blossoms. The inscription alludes to the poetic association of peach blossoms with spring and the legendary Peach Blossom Spring, while the swallows further reinforce the sense of seasonal renewal. The elegant vertical arrangement and spacious use of the paper are characteristic of Hiroshige’s refined kacho-ga designs.