Clear Weather with a Southerly Wind 1829 - 1833

Katsushika Hokusai created "Clear Weather with a Southerly Wind" using woodblock printing, a technique deeply rooted in Japanese artistic tradition. Hokusai lived during the Edo period, a time of relative peace and prosperity that fostered the growth of arts and culture. This print, often called “Red Fuji”, captures Mount Fuji in a moment of serene majesty. It reflects a reverence for nature deeply embedded in Japanese culture. Fuji wasn't just a mountain, but a sacred symbol, often linked to ideas of national identity and spiritual significance. Hokusai’s series, "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji," catered to the growing interest in landscape art among the merchant classes. The artist skillfully plays with perspective and color to capture the mountain's imposing presence. What does it mean to depict a landscape, and what does that tell us about the relationship between humans and nature? Here, Fuji becomes a mirror reflecting both the beauty and the power of the natural world, resonating deeply with viewers then, as it does now.