Analysis Of The Thirty-Six Views Of Mount Fuji

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‘Fuji-yama, the sacred mountain, refuge of mysterious legends and of ancient naturalist dreams, rises up in the coolness of blue mornings and in the gold of evening… Japanese art never a more sustained contemplation of a theme; never did its painters approach nature with such solemnity.’(Focillon, 1914 cited in Bouquillard, 2007) As this quote shows Mount Fuji has been taken a significant position to Japanese culture and people’s life. Hokusai’s ‘Dawn at Isawa in Kai Province’ is one of the series of the Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, which is a woodblock prints of merchant culture in Edo Period. ‘Mt. Fuji’ by Kanō Tanʼyū is a six panel folding screen which had practical and decorative functions and often used in samurai culture. This essay …show more content…

1 is one of the series of The Thirty-six View of Mount Fuji by Hokusai Katsushika who is known for woodblock prints artist in Japan. Its size is such as a smaller poster which is convenient to carry with hand. While the number of travelers of ordinary people extremely increased since the country became peaceful and more convenient to travel during the Tokugawa shogunate, production of woodblock prints also extended for products for travelers, for example, illustrated guidebooks and souvenirs for friends or family members. (Guth, 1998: 28-29) Fig. 2 is a six panel folding screen. Folding screens were often used to providing privacy at night and hindering from drafts in the winter, while providing a decoration to a room. When not in use, screens could be easily folded and put away. In addition, placing painted screen behind emphasised the importance of the highest position such as the shogun’s. (Guth, 1998: …show more content…

When Ieyasu Tokugawa, the first shogun, was a child, he was educated by a Buddhist priest at the temple while he was a hostage of the Imagawa family in Suruga. Once started underlife after retiring the shogun, he became a believer of the hef priest of the Kiyomidera Temple at that time and visited there often. In order to the relation with the Tokugawa family, the temple was allowed to have the crest of the Tokugawa family believed by the members of Tokugawa family.(Seiken,

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