Hokusai and the Thirty-six Views of Mt. Fuji - In Japan, Mt. Fuji is a sacred place and a symbol of the country itself. Rising majestically near the center of Japan, Fuji dominates the landscape and the Japanese national identity. At the age of sixty-nine, the great Hokusai began what would become the most famous landscape print series of ukiyo-e, his incredible Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji.

Originally intended to comprise thirty-six prints, the publisher added an additional ten images, bringing the series total to forty-six woodblocks. Originally published around 1830, Hokusai's bold compositions capture the strength, beauty, and symbolism of Mt. Fuji in rain and snow, at sunrise and dusk, and from a variety of vantage points. The series includes some of Hokusai's greatest masterpieces. These fantastic images portray the strength and majesty of nature, leading the viewer to contemplate man's place in relation to the natural world. A truly magnificent series, Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji justly remains Hokusai's most famous and highly regarded work.

Gihachi Okuyama Nippon Wood-prints Studio - In 1946, woodblock print artist Gihachi or Gihachiro Okuyama created the Japanese Hanga Institution (Nippon Wood-prints Studio) along with other artists to help re-establish traditional Japanese woodblock printing, which had fallen out of favor. The Tokyo studio produced fine woodblock reprints of classic ukiyo-e subjects, including works by Hiroshige and Hokusai. Unfortunately, the studio did not do well financially and was closed, likely around 1954. Beautifully printed and detailed, these high-quality reprints are a wonderful way to acquire a classic ukiyo-e image.

Hokusai's Thirty-six Views of Fuji by the Gihachi Okuyama Studio - These beautiful reprints of Hokusai's classic series "Thirty-six Views of Fuji" come with the original windowed viewing folder with a tissue paper cover featuring the title, the number of the print within the series, and a description in Japanese (see example below). Each print is loose within the folder. A nice presentation format as originally issued by the publisher.

Sekiya Village on the Sumida River - Beautiful Hokusai print depicting three riders racing along a winding road through the marshy land north of the Arakawa River. Their robes flutter in the wind behind them as they lean forward, their heads hidden beneath their woven hats. A rugged pine tree frames a view of Mt. Fuji in the distance, and an official notice board anchors the scene at right. Lovely color and movement in this handsome design.

Artist - Hokusai (1760 - 1849)

Image Size - Image 10 1/8" x 15" + margins as shown; folder 12 7/8" x 18 3/4"

Condition - Excellent overall with no issues to report.