KATSUSHIKA HOKUSAI
Fugaku hyakkei (100 vues du mont Fuji)
Nishimura Sukezo, Edo 1875, 15,5x22,5cm, 26f., cousu.
New edition of this second volume of the 3 required. The prints use 3 colours, black, white and shades of grey. This volume contains 27 views, 21 of which are on double page. The original was published in 1835 by the same publisher. It is very rare to have all three volumes together as they were published at different dates. The plates on the double pages ff. 5v°-6r° and ff. 14v°-15r° (not including the first preface leaf) have pale blue additions. On the first (‘Uneri Fuji', [‘Fuji in the swell']), the publisher has had the silhouette of Fuji standing out on the horizon above the waves, absent from earlier editions, added in reserve on a pale blue background. This plate is sometimes considered to be a sequel to the famous ‘Great Wave' of the Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji. It is said to depict one of the three fishermen's boats that survived the giant wave, with its crew giving thanks to Fuji, whose silhouette they can see distorted in the swell. This posthumous addition of Fuji on the horizon, which necessitated the engraving of an additional woodcut, tends to remove an ambiguity by showing that the image of Fuji in the swell is indeed his inverted reflection, and not a fleeting subjective vision of the fishermen. It can be seen as a betrayal of the original work. Nevertheless, it should be noted that this unique print is extremely rare, having escaped the notice of all specialists, and will not be included in later editions.
Sewn Japanese binding. Yellow cover with waves. Long title label printed in blue. Small stains on boards. Seams redone in silk. Paper very fresh, in good condition inside.
This famous suite magnifies the landscape and questions man's relationship with nature. The points of view and perspectives are very diverse, with Hokusai introducing Western perspective into Japanese painting for the first time. The subject matter of some of the prints is exploited in the 46 colour prints of the 36 views of Mount Fugi, including the famous Great Wave of Kanagawa, which is not included in this volume. Most of the prints depict Mount Fugi from different locations and in different seasons. For the engravings, Hokusai called on master engraver Egawa Tomekichi, assisted by seven collaborators. He took extreme care in the production of his work, which is universally regarded as the absolute masterpiece of the Japanese monochrome xylograph. A very rare item.