Umezawa in Sagami Province

Umezawa in Sagami Province, is one of the amazing masterpieces of Katsushika Hokusai’s series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji also known as the Fugaku sanjūrokkei, Sōshū Umezawa zai. Hokusai was born in October 1670 in Japan, Edo district and died in May, 1849 and was buried in Seikyō-ji in Tokyo (Taito Ward).

The painting Umezawa in Sagami Province was produced in ca. 1830-1832 during the Edo period and classified as a print on a Polychrome woodblock print; ink and color on paper with dimensions of 10 1/8 x 15 1/8 in. (25.7 x 38.4 cm) in Japan. Hokusai used the aizuri technique in combining the undulating hills, soft clouds and blue waters in the Umezawa in Sagami Province print and artistically brought out an image of great tranquility. The print brings out timeless quality the entire landscape of Mount Fuji.

Umezawa was the place at the lower part of Mount Fuji. Hokusai added five birds to the landscape so as to bring out the whole image. The mist hangs over the blue Mount Fuji red-crowned cranes. The mist and the pink colours represent the moments just before day break. However, according to the Japanese tradition the Mount Fuji and the crane are meant to represent good fortune. This is an amazing Ukiyo-e style woodblock print.

Born Tokitara, Hokusai had thirty other names during his entire career which were representative of various periods and styles of writing during the Edo period of between 1615 and 1868. He learned a few painting skills from his father Nakajima Ise who was a mirror-maker before moving on to be an apprentice at an art library and bookshop where he started doing stone craving at the age of 14 years-old before he got an admission to join the Tawaraya School at the age of 18-years-old.

When Hokusai decided to leave the Tawaraya School he dropped his name Tawaraya Son and adopted a new name Hokusai Tomisa to start practicing as an independent artist. He further developed his Ukiyo-e style for other reasons other than just portraiture by 1800. The Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji series is one of his greatest artwork where he compiled various works of prints that represented the various locations seasons, and weathers of the fascinating Mount Fuji. He had a unique style of painting the relationship between man and the environment in all of the thirty-six prints which were later added to become forty-six in total.