Fuji at Sea (Kaijō no Fuji): Detached page from One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku hyakkei) Vol. 2 Possibly 1835 - 1836

Editor: This is Hokusai's "Fuji at Sea" from his "One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji." It's a monochromatic woodblock print, quite small. I’m struck by how the powerful wave dwarfs the distant Mount Fuji. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a powerful commentary on humanity's place within nature, and how we are often at odds with its forces. It's important to remember that Hokusai lived through a time of social and political upheaval in Japan. Editor: How so? Curator: The Tokugawa shogunate was weakening, and there was increasing contact with the West. Hokusai, through his art, might be reflecting a sense of anxiety about the future, using the image of the overwhelming wave as a metaphor for change. Perhaps it is a comment on our relationship with the environment. Editor: So the wave isn't just a wave; it's a symbol of larger forces at play? I hadn't considered that! Curator: Precisely. Thinking critically about how social context shapes artistic expression is key. Editor: I'll remember that. Thanks!