KATSUSHIKA HOKUSAI (1760-1849)

KATSUSHIKA HOKUSAI (1760-1849)
SUDDEN RAIN BENEATH THE SUMMIT
19TH CENTURY

A Japanese woodblock print, entitled Sanka no haku u, also known as 'Black Fuji', from the series Fugaku sanjūrokkei (Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji), signed Hokusai aratame Iitsu hitsu, published by Nishimuraya Yohachi (Eijudo), oban yoko-e, 25.5cm x 36.8cm.

Provenance: a private Scottish collection.

This is undeniably one of Hokusai's most recognisable prints, from the equally iconic series 'Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji', which he started when he was in his seventies. Like many other Japanese artists, Hokusai was fascinated with the mountain, and he depicted it in large numbers throughout his career. This particular composition echoes the design of another famous print in the series, 'South Wind, Clear Sky' (also known as Red Fuji). The two prints can be seen as opposites, however: Red Fuji depicts a calm, bright dawn in the early stages of autumn, whilst Black Fuji is imbued with the dark agitation of a thunderstorm. This series was so successful that the publisher decided to expand it to forty-six prints.