Page 128 - Christies Japanese and Korean Art Sept 22 2020 NYC

Selection From An Important Japanese Collection
(lot 102–127)

116
KATSUSHIKA HOKUSAI (1760-1849)
Sanka hakuu (Storm below the summit)
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: 10º x 15º in. (26 x 38.7 cm.)
$60,000-80,000

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.