At the Foot of Fuji (Fuji no fumoto): Half of detatched page from One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku hyakkei) Vol. 2 Possibly 1835 - 1836

Editor: This is "At the Foot of Fuji," a page from Hokusai’s *One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji*. It’s a woodblock print, and I’m struck by how the landscape dwarfs the figures. What’s your take on this work? Curator: The print highlights the intersection of labor and iconic imagery. How does Hokusai portray these figures in relation to the revered Mount Fuji? Is it simply a backdrop, or does it play a larger role in their lives and the artwork's meaning? Editor: That’s a good point. It makes me think about the mountain as a silent witness to their daily toil. Curator: Exactly. And consider how this image, part of a larger series, circulates and reinforces ideas about Japanese identity and landscape. The commercial context is key to understanding its cultural impact. Editor: I hadn’t considered that angle. Thanks!