Artwork

冨嶽三十六景東海道吉田|Yoshida on the Tōkaidō (Tōkaidō Yoshida), from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)

冨嶽三十六景東海道吉田|Yoshida on the Tōkaidō (Tōkaidō Yoshida), 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

Created around 1831 by the Japanese ukiyo‑e master Katsushika Hokusai, this woodblock print belongs to his celebrated series Thirty‑six Views of Mount Fuji. The image depicts a bustling riverside scene at Yoshida, a post town on the Tōkaidō road, with Mount Fuji rising in the distant background. The work is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection.

Subject & Meaning

The composition captures everyday activity along the riverbank: travelers and locals sit on low benches and the ground, some holding fans or leaning on staffs, while a dog rests near a basket. A wooden structure with a Japanese sign anchors the scene, emphasizing the commercial and social functions of the post town while the distant mountain provides a geographic reference point.

Technique & Style

Executed in ink and color on paper, the print demonstrates Hokusai’s precise carving and careful registration of multiple woodblocks. Fine details such as the rippling water surface, the roof’s patterned tiles, and the subtle gradations of the pale sky illustrate the artist’s skill in rendering texture and atmosphere within the constraints of the ukiyo‑e medium.

History & Provenance

The print was produced during the late Edo period, a time when travel along the Tōkaidō was popular and visual documentation of such routes flourished. After its creation, the image entered private collections before being acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains on display as part of the museum’s Asian art holdings.