Fuji with Seven Bridges in One View (Shichikyō ichiran no Fuji): Half of detatched page from One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku hyakkei) Vol. 2 Possibly 1835 - 1836

Curator: This is Hokusai's "Fuji with Seven Bridges in One View," a woodblock print now at the Harvard Art Museums. I’m immediately struck by the sheer number of laborers depicted traversing these precarious wooden structures. Editor: Yes, there’s almost a frantic energy to it. I think Hokusai is showing us the infrastructure required to sustain communities, the labor-intensive aspects often overlooked. Curator: Precisely! It speaks to the material reality of life, the reliance on these networks for trade, travel, and the movement of goods. Editor: The arrangement and labor is not accidental either; consider the positioning of the figures and Mount Fuji, a very intentional commentary on identity and place. Hokusai situates the mountain in the background, diminishing its prominence. Curator: It is a shift, away from the idealized landscape toward a focus on the human element and its connection to the built environment. Editor: A powerful statement about the intersection of labor, environment, and society in Japan. Curator: Indeed, a testament to how daily infrastructure shapes both the literal and social landscape. Editor: A perspective that moves us to reconsider how we view both history and the everyday experience.