Japanese Woodblock Print, 1832, this is a 19th century printing, from the series "Thirty-six Views of Mt. Fuji".

SIZE IN INCHES: oban, 14.75 x 10.25 inches

COMMENTS: The reading intended by Hokusai for the Japanese characters used in the title of this print is by no means obvious, but comparison with two similar prints in the Manga suggests that the actual location was Kajikazawa, an inland port on the Fuji River. One of the Manga prints is actually named "Kajikazawa," while the other is called "Boar's Nose Point," a term no doubt referring to the rock on which the fisherman is standing. Thanks to the construction of electric power dams in the past century, the Fuji river now flows quietly through the mountains, but in Hokusai's time it was a rushing torrent on which people traveled in boats designed especially for running the rapids. Memorials to the unfortunate ones who perished in the river are still standing along its banks. The current breaks against the rocks in the foreground with such violence that one recalls "Great Wave off the Coast of Kanagawa" (Hokusai's acknowledged masterpiece). Farther from the bank, the flow is smoother, but long, slightly curved lines give the impression of great speed. The mountains in this area press in so close to the river's banks that Fuji is not usually visible, but Hokusai has outlined its peak as a matter of course. With regard to the composition, it should be noted that the contour created by the rock, the fisherman, and the lines of the net echo the shape of Mt. Fuji, while the curve of the rock is repeated in the wave beneath it.

KATSUSHIKA HOKUSAI (1760-1849), known simply as Hokusai, was a Japanese artist, ukiyo-e painter and printmaker of the Edo period. Born in Edo (now Tokyo), Hokusai is best known as author of the woodblock print series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji which includes the internationally iconic print, The Great Wave off Kanagawa. Hokusai created the Thirty-Six Views both as a response to a domestic travel boom and as part of a personal obsession with Mount Fuji. It was this series, specifically The Great Wave print and Fine Wind, Clear Morning, that secured Hokusai's fame both in Japan and overseas. As historian Richard Lane concludes, "if there is one work that made Hokusai's name, both in Japan and abroad, it must be this monumental print-series". While Hokusai's work prior to this series is certainly important, it was not until this series that he gained broad recognition.

Good, with flaws as shown