Inume pass in the Kai province 

Editor: This woodblock print is titled "Inume pass in the Kai province" by Katsushika Hokusai. It’s serene, but there's also a real sense of movement as figures travel through the landscape. What story do you think Hokusai is trying to tell? Curator: Hokusai captures not just a landscape, but the essence of travel and our relationship with nature. He’s got these little figures toiling up the mountain, a timeless depiction of human endeavor! But have you noticed how the mountain itself, and even the trees, seem to have as much character, almost as if they're watching the travellers? It makes you wonder if they're indifferent, or maybe even a little amused by us tiny ants climbing all over their world. What does it whisper to you? Editor: That's beautiful! It definitely speaks to the grandeur of nature versus the individual human experience. And the choice of this light palette and those soft lines! Curator: Indeed, that softness is almost deceptive. These prints were made for mass production, aimed for the everyday person. It's the genius of Hokusai to blend such profound artistic skill with everyday appeal. I wonder if these travellers felt this way about nature or where too busy getting somewhere? Editor: That’s amazing. It completely reshapes how I see this, it's more than just a landscape; it is such a human thing to experience travel. I'll never look at it the same way again! Curator: And isn't that the joy of art? It changes as *we* change.