Seven-Mile Beach in Sagami Province (SōshÅ« Shichiri-ga-hama), from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjÅ«rokkei) c. 1831

Curator: Look at this lovely print, "Seven-Mile Beach in Sagami Province," part of Hokusai's "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji." What strikes you first? Editor: The composition is oddly comforting, despite a certain starkness. A really contemplative piece! Curator: I think Hokusai masterfully uses the receding planes, from the foreground shore to Fuji itself, to evoke a sense of vastness and the beauty of the natural world. Editor: It's also interesting how the color palette creates a unique mood. The limited shades give it this cool detachment. Curator: It's true, though I wonder if this specific tonality has something to do with the aging of the paper. Still, it makes me think of fleeting moments in nature. Editor: Makes me think a lot about balance and the reductive. Anyway, lovely piece.