South Wind, Clear Sky

This print is a part of Hokusai’s Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji series of large color woodblock prints. The series depicts Mount Fuji in a variety of differing seasons and viewpoints. In autumn, the rising sun can turn Mount Fuji ablaze with red. Hokusai captures the moment with deepening shades of red on the mountain mirrored by shades of blue in the sky. The particular season is also evident from the small remnants of lingering snow on the mountaintop. The imposing grandeur of the mountain is enhanced by delicate clouds in the sky and tiny detailed trees in the dense forest at the base. Prints made from Hokusai’s woodblocks for South Wind, Clear Sky also known as Red Fuji are held in several museums worldwide. Mount Fuji is a popular subject for Japanese art due to its cultural and religious significance. Japanese prints became very popular among French artists in 1870s and the artform influenced Manet, the Impressionists and many more.