Ejiri in the Suruga province 1832

This woodblock print, created by Katsushika Hokusai, captures a scene at Ejiri in Suruga Province. The most striking image is the wind, not directly visible, but made evident through the swirling papers and the bending trees. This depiction of the invisible force is not unique to Hokusai; across cultures, wind appears as a symbol of change, disruption, and even divine breath, like the ‘Ruach’ in the Hebrew Bible, embodying the spirit of God moving over the waters. Consider how the wind is also a symbol of the human soul – it can be fierce, destructive, gentle or nurturing. In a similar manner, the papers scattered by the wind remind me of the fleeting nature of life, and the dispersal of knowledge and ideas. The emotional force of this scene lies in its transient quality. The artist engages our subconscious by capturing a moment that is inherently unstable, leaving us to consider the impermanence of our own existence. It is a scene both beautiful and melancholy.