"Surface of Lake Misaka, Kai Province," Katsushika Hokusai, c. 1830-2.

Hokusai (1760-1849) is important not only as amazing artist in his own right, but as a major influence on Western art.

THE major painter of the ukiyo-e school, he was also a driving force in moving the style from just being about portraits of courtesans and actors, to being about landscapes, plants, and animals.

This is part of his woodblock print series "Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji" which includes that famous tidal wave painting that everyone has seen. That series was a bestseller in Japan and influenced later artists who began publishing their own prints of various scenes around Japan.

Hokusai's work became popular in Europe in the latter half of the 19th century, and many of the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists, like Monet, Renoir, and Gauguin, were fans of his and admitted their debt to him.

Interestingly, the mountain in this print is clear of snow, while the reflection shows the famous snow cap. Nobody is sure why that is; perhaps a symbol of the seasons, or perhaps just a way to draw the eye to the reflection. It's hard to believe it was just a goof!

From a private collection.

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