諸國名橋奇覧　足利行道山くものかけはし|The Hanging-cloud Bridge at Mount Gyōdō near Ashikaga (Ashikaga Gyōdōzan kumo no kakehashi), from the series Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyō kiran)

About this artwork

Katsushika Hokusai, the legendary Japanese artist of the Edo period (1615–1868), captured the daring ingenuity of Japan's engineering feats in his series *Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces* (*Shokoku meikyō kiran*), produced around 1833–1834. This woodblock print, *The Hanging-cloud Bridge at Mount Gyōdō near Ashikaga*, showcases one of approximately eleven known designs from this rare series, created during Hokusai's highly productive mature phase—coinciding with his iconic *Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji*. As a master of ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world"), Hokusai blended traditional Japanese composition with emerging Western perspective techniques, highlighting dramatic landscapes and human endeavor. The print offers a breathtaking, vertiginous vista of a swaying rope bridge suspended over a misty ravine at Mount Gyōdō, its name evoking the clouds enveloping the structure. Tiny figures inch across the precarious span amid steep cliffs, jagged rocks, houses, and trees, emphasizing the colossal scale and peril. Hokusai's nishiki-e (brocade picture) technique—using multiple carved woodblocks for layered ink and color on paper—brings vivid depth through bold outlines, subtle gradations, and geometric contrasts against organic forms. This work not only celebrates Japan's provincial marvels but also influenced later printmakers and European artists after Japan opened to the West, bridging Eastern and Western artistic traditions. At 10⅛ × 15⅛ inches, it's a compact window into Hokusai's boundless curiosity.