The Dragon of Smoke Escaping from Mount Fuji 

Katsushika Hokusai’s ‘The Dragon of Smoke Escaping from Mount Fuji’ presents us with an ethereal scene, likely created with ink and color on silk. The composition is dominated by Mount Fuji’s majestic form, its peak sharply contrasted against a smoky sky. Hokusai masterfully uses line and form to suggest not just a mountain, but a symbol. The smoke, curling into the shape of a dragon, introduces a dynamic element, a rupture in the otherwise serene landscape. This dragon is not merely decorative; it challenges our understanding of the natural and supernatural, blurring the lines between reality and myth. It invites a semiotic reading, where the mountain signifies stability and the dragon represents transformative power. This interplay suggests a deeper commentary on nature's capacity for change, challenging our fixed notions of the world.