Fuji in the Mountains (SanchÅ« no Fuji): Detached page from One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku hyakkei) Vol. 1 Possibly 1834 - 1835

Editor: This is “Fuji in the Mountains” by Hokusai, from his “One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji.” It's a woodblock print, and what strikes me is how Fuji is this almost looming, watchful presence. What do you make of its power in this image? Curator: You know, it's fascinating how Hokusai transforms the iconic mountain. It is less a portrait and more a feeling, isn't it? He captures Fuji not as a static object, but as this dynamic, almost dreamlike entity, interwoven with the everyday lives of these travelers. Editor: Dreamlike is a good way to describe it. Curator: It's as if Fuji exists both within and beyond their reality, a testament to its enduring presence in the Japanese psyche. It’s a beautiful, almost humorous, reminder of the mountain’s omnipresence, don’t you think? Editor: Absolutely. I'll never look at a mountain the same way.