Rain Below the Mountain - Katsushika Hokusai

A striking woodblock print by Katsushika Hokusai depicting Mount Fuji during a summer storm, featuring dramatic contrasts between light and shadow.

Rain Below the Mountain, also known as 'Black Fuji', is a woodblock print from the series Thirty-six Views of Mt. Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai. This work depicts the mountain during a summer storm. The summit is illuminated by sunlight, while the base is shrouded in a dark, heavy rainstorm. Lightning flashes across the lower slopes, rendered with sharp, angular lines that contrast with the soft, rounded clouds drifting near the peak. Hokusai utilised Prussian blue, a synthetic pigment introduced to Japan during this period, to achieve the deep, saturated tones of the storm clouds. The composition is divided horizontally, separating the clear sky above from the turbulent weather below. The mountain itself is rendered with a stippled texture, suggesting the rugged terrain of the volcanic slopes. This print demonstrates Hokusai's interest in meteorological phenomena and his ability to capture transient moments in nature through the medium of woodblock printing. The series was produced during the late Edo period, a time when travel within Japan became more accessible to the general public. Hokusai's prints were popular among travellers and collectors, offering views of famous sites from various perspectives and weather conditions. This specific print is noted for its dramatic use of shadow and light, which departs from the more conventional depictions of the mountain found in earlier Japanese art. The stark contrast between the dark, rain-soaked base and the sunlit peak creates a sense of atmospheric tension. It remains a significant example of the technical skill involved in the ukiyo-e tradition, requiring multiple woodblocks to achieve the precise layering of colour and tone.