Fuji boven de wolken (variant) c. 1890 - 1900

Editor: Here we have "Fuji above the Clouds (variant)" by Totoya Hokkei, sometime between 1890 and 1900. It’s a woodblock print. It feels incredibly serene, almost dreamlike. The mountain, shrouded in mist, looms large. How do you interpret this work? Curator: The serene quality you point out is interesting. Consider ukiyo-e not just as pretty landscapes but as reflections of a society undergoing rapid transformation. The choice to depict Fuji, a symbol of stability, rising above the turbulent clouds, might be read as a visual commentary on the anxieties of the Meiji era. Do you see any tension between tradition and modernity within this apparent tranquility? Editor: I do see it now that you mention it! It’s like the unchanging mountain is observing the changing world beneath. The mist could be obscuring some of the less-pleasant aspects of modernisation. Curator: Precisely. Think about who commissioned and consumed these prints: the rising merchant class. Were they seeking representations of steadfastness or idealised visions of escape from their own socio-political anxieties? The mountain also stands as a symbol of Japanese identity. By visually elevating it in this manner, what cultural messages might Hokkei be sending to his audience? Editor: It's as though he is subtly reinforcing a particular view of Japan, a kind of national pride, perhaps in response to Western influence? I hadn't considered how political landscape prints could be. Curator: Exactly. It’s a negotiation, always, between aesthetics, ideology, and commerce. So, next time, think about what narratives are visually prioritised and whose stories might be obscured. Editor: That's a perspective I will definitely keep in mind going forward. Thank you for sharing your insights. Curator: And thank you for your astute observations; they highlighted interesting facets of this print that I appreciate considering alongside you.