Utagawa Hiroshige was one of the first ukiyo-e masters who produced bird prints. He preferred a tall and narrow format, tanzaku, as seen in this piece. This specific format allowed him to explore new compositions and to express the beauty of birds and plants in a poetic yet accurate way. This masterpiece, Duck in Snow, is a perfect example of Hiroshige’s talent in such subject. The image transmitted the cold air to viewers by showing the falling snow, frozen reeds and the dark sky in grey bokashi (graduation). Yet by contrast is the duck’s colorful feather and peaceful expression adding liveliness to the picture.

The poem (haiku) at upper left side goes as:
Kamo naki ya (A duck calls softly)
kaze fukishiwamua (breeze sets ripples moving)
mizu no omo (over the water)

The seal contains a profile of a deer laying down and back of a horse, standing for ju (longetivity) and fuku (luck).