Fuji in a Downpour (Murasame no Fuji): Detatched page from One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku hyakkei) Vol. 3 c. 1835 - 1847

Curator: This striking detached page, residing here at Harvard Art Museums, is titled "Fuji in a Downpour" by Katsushika Hokusai, part of his "One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji." Editor: Whoa, this print feels intense! Like being caught in a sudden storm, all vertical lines and huddled figures. Curator: Hokusai masterfully uses the downpour, depicted by those stark lines, not just as weather but as a visual barrier. The individuals become almost secondary to the overwhelming force of nature. Editor: Absolutely, it's less about the people and more about that feeling of being small against something huge. I wonder if he's saying something about the transience of human life, or maybe the power of nature's resilience. Curator: It's compelling to consider this work within the socio-political climate of Hokusai’s era; the woodblock prints offered accessible art for a broad public, reflecting an interplay between the artist’s vision and the cultural values of the time. Editor: Yeah, it is pretty amazing how this simple image sparks so many feelings, so much connection. Curator: Indeed, it encourages us to consider our place in a larger world, both historically and environmentally. Editor: Totally, I will not complain about rain anymore today!