Artist

Katsushika Hokusai (1760~1849)

Japanese Woodblock Print  Name

#05 - Honjo Tatekawa (Honjo Tatekawa, the timberyard at Honjo)  本所立川 

From Series - Thirty six Views of Mount Fuji

A man uses his whole body to throw a timber block into the air,

while another man holds out his arm to receive it.

Beside him is a man intently operating a large saw; these craftsmen,

whom Hokusai loved to paint and often, are depicted in vivid detail.

Honjo Tachikawa (Katakawa) is a canal close to Warigesui, Hokusai's birthplace,

and is located in what is now Ryōgoku-Chitose. It is said that in the past,

there were many lumber yards on both banks, which made it easy to transport lumber.

 This painting also gives a glimpse of the state of such lumber yards,

but the set shows a truly meticulous depiction, with lumber blocks of different lengths

 and thicknesses painted vertically and horizontally across the entire painting,

creating an interesting composition, while leaving a space in the middle

to create a sense of perspective, which is truly impressive.

Incidentally, with the exception of the shape of Mount Fuji peeking out from

behind the long timber blocks, the majority of the painting is drawn in straight lines,

 a result of meticulous calculations aimed at creating a visual effect.

This series of Hokusai’s “Thirty Six Views of Mount Fuji” has been reproduced by the Tokyo traditional Woodblock Print Association.

These traditional woodblock prints are produced by a contemporary dream team of many of the top skilled Japanese craftsmen, exactly as was the first edition at Edo-Tokyo Museum

Approx Image Size 

Height 25.00 cm  x Width 38.00 cm

(H 9.843 " x  W 14.961 ")

Condition  

The print is in perfect state.

It has never been rolled up or framed,

and has been kept in professional condition.

Color 

Please refer to our pictures for color.

The color of the actual woodblock prints may be slightly different from our online images because it is impossible to show the precise color of these fine art woodblock prints and the delicate texture of our long-lasting traditional craft-made Washi Paper.