The artwork, “Ono Shindon in the Suraga Province,” created by the esteemed artist Katsushika Hokusai, belongs to the Ukiyo-e art movement and is a genre painting. It is part of the renowned series “Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji” and is presently housed in the Guimet Museum in Paris, France.
In the artwork, the observer is presented with a vivid and detailed picturesque scene. The foreground is populated by several human figures engaged in agricultural labor, guiding oxen burdened with substantial loads of what appears to be harvested crops. These figures are dressed in traditional attire, which reflects the everyday life of the time. The background showcases the iconic and majestic Mount Fuji, partially shadowed, standing tall under a serene sky that transitions seamlessly from light blue near the horizon to a deep blue above. The lush green fields and scattered birds in flight add to the tranquility and natural beauty of the scene. The artwork successfully captures the harmonious coexistence between human activity and nature, a common theme in Hokusai’s masterful narratives.
