Last Chance to See Mt. Fuji
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
An exhibition of the complete portfolio of Hokusai’s seminal Mt. Fuji prints ends this Sunday at the Sackler Gallery in Washington, D.C.
According to the museum, “The most acclaimed print series by Japan’s most famous artist, Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai, contains images of worldwide renown, including Under the Wave off Kanagawa, better known as the ‘Great Wave.’ First published for the New Year of 1831, the series was a landmark in Japanese print publishing, incorporating innovative compositions, techniques, and coloration and establishing landscape as a new subject. As part of the Japan Spring celebration, the Sackler presents examples of all 46 prints in the series—which was continued under its original title due to the great popularity of Hokusai’s designs—including several rare, early printings featuring unusual coloration. The exhibition lends context to these iconic designs and explores the artistic methods and meaning behind Hokusai’s depictions of Mount Fuji.”
Two other Hokusai installations remain on view through at the museum through June and July respectively, “Hokusai: Japanese Screens” and “Hokusai: Paintings and Drawings.”
“The sheer volume of Hokusai’s brushwork beggars both the imagination and the intellect,” says the museum. “Over the course of seven decades, which included occasional periods of profound personal distraction, this “man mad about painting,” as he called himself, created an estimated thirty thousand images—and wrote novels and poetry as well. He turned out ink drawings, paintings, and prints that varied greatly in both subject and format—actor portraits; landscapes; beautiful women; the spiritual and supernatural; legendary figures and historical tales; still life; nature, including birds and flowers; erotica; surimono (highly refined, privately commissioned prints); fan paintings; manga; illustrated albums, books, poetry anthologies; and novels; teaching manuals for artists, and even performance art. His illustrated books alone number some 270 volumes.”
“Hokusai: 36 Views of Mt. Fuji” runs through June 17 at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, 1050 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, D.C, 202-633-4880, www.asia.si.edu.
Franklin Einspruch is the art critic for The New York Sun. He blogs at Artblog.net.
