Shotei Hokuju
ca. 1818-1830
Donated by the Homma family
An overhead view shows us Mount Atago in Shiba, a hill much loved by the people of Edo. The imagery centers on both the steeper and gentler sloops of the hill, with the seas of Shinagawa seen in the distance.
Hokuju’s characteristic styling can be seen in the clouds, with Mount Atago rising from a misty sea of clouds. The cumulonimbus floating on a deep blue sky allows the viewer to vicariously experience the heat of high summer.
Shotei Hokuju (1763-1824) was an ukiyo-e woodblock print artist of the late Edo period, and a pupil of Katsushika Hokusai. As inheritor of Hokusai’s Western-influenced style of representation, he’s additionally known for his unique woodblock landscapes which he developed using his own distinctive presentational form. His distinctive style can be seen in his earthen slopes, resembling lines of triangles, and his stylized clouds.