"Sunset across the Ryōgoku bridge from the bank of the Sumida River at Onmayagashi" from 36 views of Mt.Fuji series by Hokusai

Description : 

This area, known as Onmayagashi, is located along the Sumida River in present-day Tokyo. The name derives from the stables (umaya) of the shogun that once stood here. A ferry boat, connecting to the opposite shore, is depicted with Ryogoku Bridge in the background. Mount Fuji is visible, small and almost silhouette-like, along with the scenery of the opposite bank and the bridge, with subdued colors. The time is dusk, and the colors are gradually fading from the landscape as the sun sets. The black gradient of the sky and the deep blue of the water indicate that night is approaching.
Blue lines are used to depict the outlines of the people on the boat. Most of them are looking down or have their backs turned, making their faces less visible, which has the effect of making us feel as if we are also looking at the scene they are facing. Although the title mentions "sunset view," the work seems to capture a quiet time when the sunset colors have faded, and people are immersed in a monochrome blue world.
In this work, and in the early pieces of the "Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji" series, a blue pigment known as "Berlin Blue" is used extensively. This pigment, introduced to Japan from Europe during this period, reflects Hokusai's keen interest in new materials and techniques.

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