Well-Cleaning Fuji (Ido-sarae no Fuji): Detatched page from One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku hyakkei) Vol. 2 Possibly 1835 - 1836

Curator: What a wonderful image, from Hokusai’s "One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji." It’s titled "Well-Cleaning Fuji" and shows a figure hauling up a bucket of water, with Fuji-san looming in the background. Editor: It’s so striking! The way the mountain is framed by the wooden structure almost feels like we're seeing it through the lens of labor and everyday life. Curator: Exactly! It’s not just a picturesque landscape. Hokusai's always grounding these iconic views in the reality of the people who live there. Editor: I’m reminded of labor movements, thinking about water access as a human right and the unseen work that goes into maintaining communities. Hokusai is subtly connecting the grandeur of nature with the dignity of labor. Curator: That's beautifully put! It makes you wonder, what is sacred, the mountain or the wellspring of daily life? Editor: Maybe they're inseparable. The mountain provides, and the people sustain. Curator: This image makes me reconsider what we often deem as worthy of being seen, and how artists can elevate the mundane to the sublime.