The Floating World

Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)

Shichirigahama in Sagami Province

相州七里浜 · Sōshū Shichirigahama

Katsushika Hokusai · c. 1830–32

What it is

From the pines on the cliffs at Shichirigahama, the bay opens out and a snow-capped Fuji stands across the water.

Why it matters

The coast near Kamakura gives Hokusai a long, open view, and he lets the sea carry the eye all the way to the peak.

What to notice

The blue of the sea and the blue of the mountain are close kin, so the water seems to carry on into the peak.

From this shore the mountain and the sea are one colour.

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 · JP2979

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.