The Floating World

Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)

Sekiya Village on the Sumida River

隅田川関屋の里 · Sumidagawa Sekiya no sato

Katsushika Hokusai · c. 1830–32

What it is

Three riders gallop along a raised path beside the Sumida River at Sekiya, past a red-trunked pine, with Fuji low on the horizon.

Why it matters

Most of the series is still, and this design is built on speed.

What to notice

The path curves away and the riders lean into it; the pine’s trunk is printed in bright red.

Even in a hurry, the mountain is in the corner of the eye.

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 · JP1338

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.