Rainstorm beneath the Summit (Sanka haku-u), from the series Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjÅ«rokkei) c. 1831

Editor: Here we have Hokusai's "Rainstorm beneath the Summit," part of his Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji series. It's a woodblock print, and immediately, I’m struck by its dramatic mood. The mountain feels powerful, almost menacing. What do you make of this piece? Curator: It's interesting you use the word "menacing." I see a similar power, but maybe more in the sense of nature's raw energy. The deep blacks against the red create a tension. It makes me wonder if Hokusai was exploring the sublime—that feeling of awe mixed with fear. Don't you think that is a key element here? Editor: Absolutely, that tension is palpable. I hadn’t considered the sublime element so directly, but it makes complete sense now.