Sazai Hall of the Temple of the Five Hundred Arhats (Gohyaku Rakan-ji Sazaidō), from the series Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjÅ«rokkei)  c. 1830 - 1831

Curator: This print, attributed to Hokusai, is from his series "Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji." It depicts the Sazai Hall of the Temple of the Five Hundred Arhats. Editor: It's remarkably serene. The muted blues and greens create a sense of calm, almost detached observation. Curator: Hokusai’s series had a profound impact on how Mount Fuji was perceived culturally, turning it into an almost ubiquitous symbol. Editor: The figures are interesting. Some gaze out, while others huddle near the building, creating a human element that contrasts with the grandeur of the mountain. Are they pilgrims? Curator: It's likely that Hokusai is commenting on the intersection of religious pilgrimage and emerging tourism around iconic landscape features. Editor: I see echoes of traditional landscape painting, but with this distinctive everyday element. Curator: Absolutely, capturing a pivotal moment in the intersection of faith and leisure. Editor: A fascinating look at landscape and social context.