Page 120 - September 21 2021 Important Japanese Art Christie's NYC

150 KATSUSHIKA HOKUSAI (1760-1849)

Sanka hakuu (Storm below the

summit) [Black Fuji]

Woodblock print, from the series Fugaku
sanjurokkei (Thirty-six views of Mount Fuji),
signed Hokusai aratame Iitsu hitsu, published
by Nishimuraya Yohachi (Eijudo), late 1831
Horizontal oban: 9√ x 14æ in. (25.1 x 37.5 cm.)

$300,000-350,000

This iconic print, from Hokusai's great series Thirty-Six Views of
Mt. Fuji, is instantly recognisable due to the extent to which this
series has been reproduced throughout the world.
Hokusai was about seventy years old when he began the series
and his fascination with depicting Mt Fuji was to continue until
his death. At the centre of his art was the constant re-working of
concepts and forms, which is clear to see in his many depictions
of the famous mountain. In this case, on the surface there are
minimal alterations when compared to the composition of
another iconic print in the series, 'South Wind, Clear Sky' and
yet upon closer inspection the two designs could not be more
different. 'South Wind, Clear Sky' has a calm brightness to it,
however the present print, with almost identical composition
of mountain, trees and sky, has a dark agitation as a sudden
storm sparks at the base of the mountain, with forks of lightning
spiking across the lower slopes and the clouds have come down
to cluster around the mountain.