冨嶽三十六景　江戸日本橋|Nihonbashi in Edo (Edo Nihonbashi), from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)

Art Historical Context

Step into the bustling heart of Edo (modern-day Tokyo) with Katsushika Hokusai's *Nihonbashi in Edo*, a captivating woodblock print from his series *Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji* (. 1830–32). This vibrant scene captures the famous Nihonbashi bridge spanning a lively canal, teeming with merchant boats laden with goods and ferrying passengers under a vast blue sky. In the distance, the majestic Mount Fuji looms as a serene backdrop, its snow-capped peak contrasting the human activity below—a signature motif of Hokusai's ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world") style. Created during Japan's Edo period (1615–1868), when woodblock prints democratized art for everyday people, this *ōban* format print (about 10 x 14½ inches) showcases Hokusai's mastery of the medium. Collaborating with skilled carvers and printers, he layered vivid inks and colors—Prussian blue for the sky, subtle gradients for water—to evoke depth and movement. Nihonbashi, the "Japan Bridge," symbolized Edo's commercial pulse as the origin of five major roads, making this view a snapshot of urban prosperity and transient beauty. Hokusai's innovative compositions, blending grand nature with intimate daily life, elevated printmaking to high art. This Rogers Fund acquisition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art invites you to ponder how a single bridge connects commerce, culture, and the enduring allure of Fuji.

About the Artist

Katsushika Hokusai · 1760–1849

Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) stands as one of history's most influential artists, a Japanese master who revolutionized the ukiyo-e woodblock print tradition and profoundly shaped Western art. Born in the Katsushika district of Edo (modern-day Tokyo) to an artisan family, Hokusai lived through nearly nine decades of extraordinary creative evolution, adopting over thirty different artistic names t...