Fuji on the Swell (Uneri Fuji): Half of detatched page from One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku hyakkei) Vol. 2 Possibly 1835 - 1836

Editor: This is Katsushika Hokusai's "Fuji on the Swell," from his "One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji." The lines feel so dynamic, giving real energy to the water. How do you interpret this work within the context of Japanese printmaking and its audience? Curator: Hokusai's work, especially this series, democratized art. Printed images allowed wider access to representations of a sacred symbol, Mount Fuji, breaking down traditional elite control of imagery. Editor: So, it's not just a landscape; it's a statement about accessibility? Curator: Precisely. The mass production and distribution of these prints challenged established power structures by offering affordable art to a broader public. What do you think about the way the water dominates the image? Editor: I never thought of art having that kind of power before. Thanks!