Leaf & Spine

Cover art · moon

Gibbons Reaching for the Moon

Kano Tan’yū (Japanese, 1602–1674), 1600s.

Gibbons Reaching for the Moon
Gibbons Reaching for the Moon — Cleveland Museum of Art

Using it on a cover

The print file prints up to 2.3 x 11.3 in at 300 ppi — fine for smaller trims or inset artwork, but too small to fill a 6 x 9 in cover at 300 ppi. Taller than a 6 x 9 cover: crop about 69% of the height.

About the work

Long-armed gibbons form a chain to reach down from a tree, hoping to touch what they believe is the moon. In fact, the orb remaining beyond their grasp is the full moon’s reflection in the still surface of a pond or lake. The image is a common metaphor for the deluded mind in Buddhist thought. Gibbons do not live in Japan but were known to Japanese painters of the premodern era through paintings brought from China.

More moon art

Diana and Her Nymphs Departing for the Hunt Diana and Her Nymphs Departing for the Hunt Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish, 1577–1640)c. 1615 Moon Viewing, from The Tale of Heike Moon Viewing, from The Tale of Heike Yosa Buson (Japanese, 1716–1783)1700s Water-Moon Kannon Water-Moon Kannon Gakuō Zōkyū (Japanese, active about 1482–1514)c. 1500 Woman Looking at the Moon Woman Looking at the Moon Unknown artist1800s Autumn Evening with Full Moon on Musashino Plain Autumn Evening with Full Moon on Musashino Plain Unknown artistearly 1600s Autumn Evening with Full Moon on Musashino Plain Autumn Evening with Full Moon on Musashino Plain Unknown artistearly 1600s Autumn Evening with Full Moon on Musashino Plain Autumn Evening with Full Moon on Musashino Plain Unknown artistearly 1600s A prince celebrating Holi with palace women on a terrace at night (recto); calligraphy of a quatrain (verso) A prince celebrating Holi with palace women on a… Unknown artistc. 1760

Sources & data

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