Fuji from a Pine Mountain (Matsuyama no Fuji): Detached page from One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku hyakkei) Vol. 1 Possibly 1834 - 1835

Editor: Here we have Hokusai's "Fuji from a Pine Mountain," a woodblock print. The texture created by the density of the trees and the snow is striking! What do you see in this piece? Curator: Consider the materiality of the woodblock. The labor involved in carving those intricate details, the paper pulp itself, it all speaks to a democratized art form, accessible to a wider audience than traditional painting. Editor: So, the medium is part of the message? Curator: Exactly. The mass production allows for a wider consumption of imagery, turning a revered symbol like Mount Fuji into a commodity. This challenges notions of preciousness and artistic exclusivity. Editor: That's a really interesting way to think about it. Thanks for opening my eyes to the process.