Bushu Tamagawa - The Tama River in Musashi Province by Katsushika Hokusai

This serene and refined landscape belongs to the tradition of sacred representations of the Japanese archipelago’s iconic mountain. In this contemplative print, the artist Hokusai Katsushika immortalizes a moment of absolute calm through the creation named “Bushu Tamagawa - The Tama River in Musashi Province” testifying to the perfect harmony between man and his environment. The work brilliantly illustrates the minimalist aesthetic and spiritual quest characteristic of Buddhist pictorial art during this historical period.

In the center of the composition, the majestic silhouette of Mount Fuji rises into a night blue sky, its snowy peak shining a sparkling white. In the foreground, a calm river shows slight blue ripples drawn with great regularity, upon which glides a long boat carrying quiet passengers. On the sandy shore below, a traveler guides a packhorse loaded with goods along the peaceful river. The vegetation is limited to a few dark trees on the right, while a horizontal white mist subtly separates the earthly scene from the sacred mountain. The twilight light envelops the landscape in an atmosphere of eternal peace.

The draftsman shows an exquisite sense of empty space and poetic suggestion. Through extremely fine lines and an economy of graphic means, he succeeds in evoking a profound contemplative emotion in the viewer. His use of blue gradients is quite simply masterful.