Artist: Hokusai Katsushika (1760-1849) Title: "Aoigaoka Waterfall in the Eastern Capital" Medium: Woodblock print Format: Vertical Size: Oban (14.5x10in) Series: A Tour of Waterfalls Province: Japan Paper Type: Washi rice paper Special Notes on The Print: This series was originally Published by Eijudo in the mid 1830's. The keyblocks were printed in blue. Each was signed by the artist "Zen Hokusai Iitsu" The placement of the cartouches and seals is indicated in the notes which follow.The Aoigaoka fall is shown in the middle of the print a little to the right of the center. Actually, it was a spillway rather than a natural waterfall, and the water is showing spilling over the dam of the Tameike reservoir which is seen beyond. At the left is a steep bank covered with green vegetation with all trees at the top. There are buildings upper and lower left and two groups of figures a miscellaneous group of six on the path at the left and two resting coolies bottom right. According to the (EDO Meisho Zue) (pictorial guidebook of the famous places of Edo) published in the early 19th century the name AOIGAOKA derived from some aoi hollyhocks planted by the side of the guard house at the Tameike Dam. The title cartouche is upper left and at the bottom left is the artist signature to the right which are two seals the circular KAWAME seal and the publisher's square seal.

The print itself is a very good color impression and has never been framed excellent overall with no issues to report.