The Floating World

Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)

View from the Other Side of Fuji from the Minobu River

身延川裏不二 · Minobugawa ura Fuji

Katsushika Hokusai · c. 1830–32

What it is

Travellers and packhorses follow a path between steep cliffs along the Minobu River, and mist parts to show the back of Fuji.

Why it matters

One of the ten added designs, it shows the ura Fuji, the far side of the mountain, turned away from Edo.

What to notice

The cliffs rise in tall, sharp shapes, and the mountain behind them is softened by mist.

The far side of the familiar is a different country.

The record

Artist
Katsushika Hokusai 葛飾北斎 (1760–1849)
Series
Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)
Date
c. 1830–32
Publisher
Nishimuraya Yohachi (Eijudō)
Medium
woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Source
The Metropolitan Museum of Art · JP13

Impression note. The series sold well and was printed in large numbers. The first sheets lean on the newly imported Prussian blue, outlines included; later printings add colours and soften the key block. This is the largest clean open impression of the design the Met holds. Impression variance is real — printings differ in wiping and fading — and choosing the finest openly held impression is the curatorial act.

Public domain; faithfully reproduced.

Bring it home

Printed to order on EMA matte art paper, 200gsm.

From the same series

The road at your moment — Painted Earth’s ukiyo-e style pack.