"The Fuji from Kanaya on the Tōkaidō" from 36 views of Mt.Fuji series by Hokusai

Description : 

“Tōkaidō Kanaya no Fuji,” from Katsushika Hokusai’s Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, depicts travelers crossing the Ōi River with Mount Fuji rising in the distance. During the Edo period, bridges and ferries were prohibited on the river, so travelers were carried on the shoulders of porters or transported on litters called rendai. Hokusai renders the river’s force with bold, wave-like swells, setting human effort against the grandeur of Fuji.

The crossing of the Ōi River was famed as the greatest obstacle on the Tōkaidō Road, celebrated in the saying: “Even horses can cross Hakone’s steep passes, but not the Ōi River.” The print also includes clever advertising, with banners, cloths, and containers bearing the crest and name of the publisher Nishimuraya (Eijudō).

This work captures the struggle of humanity against nature’s power, juxtaposed with the stillness of Mount Fuji, and exemplifies Hokusai’s mastery of composition and his keen observation of both society and landscape.

Hokusai Katsushika : 
Known simply as Hokusai, was a Japanese Ukiyo-e artist of the Edo period, active as a painter and printmaker. 
He is best known for the woodblock print series Thirty six views of Mt Fuji, which includes the iconic print The Great Wave Off Kanagawa. Hokusai was instrumental in developing Ukiyo-e from a style of portraiture largely focused on courtesans and actors into a much broader style of art that focused on landscapes, plants, and animals. His works are thought to have had a significant influence on Vincent Van Gogh and Claude Monete during the wave of Japonism that spread across Europe in the late 19th century.

REPRODUCTION : In the 20th century, artists and publishers collaborated to recreate famous woodblock prints, providing them to Japanese collectors and Westerners seeking rare designs.
New blocks were made, and artisan printers painstakingly printed each color using the same method as the 19th-century originals.

Limited edition lithograph
Hand-printed, numbered 180/300 on margin.
Size : 
410mm x 600mm