Artwork
冨嶽三十六景 山下白雨|Storm below Mount Fuji (Sanka no haku u), from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)
冨嶽三十六景 山下白雨|Storm below Mount Fuji (Sanka no haku u), from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei) is an ink print by the Japonisme artist Katsushika Hokusai. It dates from 1831 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Storm below Mount Fuji (Sanka no haku u) is a woodblock print from Katsushika Hokusai's series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, dating to circa 1831. The work is part of The Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts Mount Fuji with a dark, jagged peak, symbolizing its enduring presence amidst turmoil. A storm rages below, with gray clouds, flashes of blue, and shadowy slopes, contrasting the mountain's calm, steadfast nature.
Technique & Style
Hokusai employed innovative techniques: red ink splatters or brushstrokes to convey rough, textured snow, and cross-hatching to achieve depth. A twisted tree on the right emphasizes the storm's fury.
History & Provenance
Created around 1831, the print is now held in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Context
Part of the Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji series, this work showcases Hokusai's ukiyo-e style, blending natural wonder with the ephemeral nature of weather, reflecting 19th-century Japanese aesthetics.
Legacy
This piece contributes to Hokusai's influence on Western art, particularly in landscape and printmaking, while remaining a quintessential example of Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock printing.
Artist & collection
Artist
Katsushika Hokusai spent his life in Edo, now Tokyo, where he drew and carved prints for a living.
冨嶽三十六景 山下白雨|Storm below Mount Fuji (Sanka no haku u), from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)
冨嶽三十六景 相州七里浜|Shichirigahama in Sagami Province (Sōshū Shichirigahama), from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)
冨嶽三十六景 相州七里浜|Shichirigahama in Sagami Province (Sōshū Shichirigahama), from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)
冨嶽三十六景 武州玉川|Fuji—The Tama River, Musashi Province, from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)
冨嶽三十六景 甲州三坂水面|Reflection in Lake at Misaka in Kai Province (Kōshū Misaka suimen), from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)
冨嶽三十六景 相州箱根湖水|The Lake at Hakone in Sagami Province (Sōshū Hakone kosui), from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)
冨嶽三十六景 下目黒|Lower Meguro (Shimo Meguro), from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)
冨嶽三十六景 礫川雪の旦|Morning after the Snow at Koishikawa in Edo (Koishikawa yuki no ashita), from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)
富士三十六景 伊豆の山中|View of Fuji san from the Mountains in the Province of Izu (Izu no Sanchu), from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)