Sekiya Village on the Sumida River - Katsushika Hokusai

A classic woodblock print by Katsushika Hokusai depicting three horsemen galloping past the Sumida River with Mount Fuji in the distance.

This woodblock print is part of the series Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji, a collection produced by Katsushika Hokusai during the Edo period. The composition captures a scene near the Sumida River, where three horsemen gallop along a path. Their movement is suggested by the dynamic posture of the horses and the flowing lines of their garments. The riders wear distinctive yellow hats, which provide a visual rhythm across the foreground.

In the background, the landscape is defined by rolling green hills and a solitary, twisted pine tree. Mount Fuji appears in the distance, rendered with a reddish hue that contrasts with the blue sky and the cooler tones of the riverbank. Hokusai employs a clear, graphic style, using bold outlines and flat areas of colour to organise the space. The architecture on the right side of the frame provides a sense of scale and human presence, grounding the scene in a specific location.

The use of Prussian blue, a pigment that was relatively new to Japan at the time, is evident in the sky and water. This choice of colour allowed for the subtle gradations seen in the upper portion of the print. The work demonstrates Hokusai's ability to combine natural observation with stylised design. By placing the figures in motion against the static, iconic form of the mountain, the artist creates a balance between the transient nature of the travellers and the permanence of the geography. This print is a representative example of the technical skill involved in the ukiyo-e tradition, where multiple blocks were carved and printed to achieve the final image.