Moon-Gazing (Sold) Painting

I have been fascinated with aspects of Japan and Japanese culture for a long time. The poetry is especially interesting to me. It is eloquent, enigmatic, economical and visual. From time to time, I make paintings based on a poem. This was one of the first. It responds to a poem by the great Basho, which translates roughly as Clouds, now and then, give respite to moon gazers. This isn't the place to explore what a moon gazer is within Japanese culture but suffice to say I read for many hours before I really grasped it and even now, I may not have all the nuances. In the end I took it more personally; what am I doing when I gaze at the moon? From a prosaic point of view, this is a full moon, low in the sky, looked at along the Thames where it crosses the M25. The low clouds are lit by the lights of the motorway and the edge of London. It is in high quality oils on board and is in a deep and wide tray-style frame. It makes extensive use of the most extraordinary Ultramarine I have ever found, that made by Pip Seymour.