Fuji in a Thunderstorm (YÅ«dachi no Fuji): Half of detatched page from One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku hyakkei) Vol. 2 Possibly 1835 - 1836

Curator: Here we have Katsushika Hokusai's "Fuji in a Thunderstorm," a woodblock print from his "One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji" series, now residing in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's a strikingly stark image. The lightning bolts cleaving the sky above those humble dwellings create a real sense of vulnerability. Curator: Hokusai's focus was often the life of ordinary people. Look how the storm, a force of nature, dwarfs the human element. Editor: And yet, those thatched roofs seem sturdy, resilient. Perhaps a commentary on the everyday struggles of the working class, enduring life's tempests. Curator: Precisely. It is a testament to the enduring spirit of community against the backdrop of powerful, uncontrollable forces. Editor: It's a potent reminder that even in the face of adversity, life, in its simplest form, persists. A message that continues to resonate today.