Mt. Fuji in Spring 1950

Unichi Hiratsuka made this print of Mount Fuji in Spring using woodblock, a technique that dates back centuries in Japan. The sacred mountain is framed by what appear to be rocky outcroppings in the foreground, rendered with flattened perspective. Japan’s cultural and political landscape changed dramatically during Hiratsuka's lifetime. He was born during the Meiji era, a period of rapid modernization and westernization. As an artist, Hiratsuka was associated with the Sosaku-hanga, or creative print movement, which emphasized the artist's individual expression and control over all aspects of the printmaking process, challenging earlier divisions of labor. Prints like this one reflect a desire to preserve traditional Japanese aesthetics in the face of Western influence. By studying the prints and writings of artists like Hiratsuka, we can learn much about how Japanese identity was negotiated during a time of great social change. The role of the historian is to examine the artist's position in society and cultural debates.