Art_2 : Hokusaisan #85

The second piece of my personal collection is a woodblock print from Hokusai depicting a Japanese landscape in Winter. The usual features of the master's works are present like the little arched bridge, fishermen in their boats, hills and trees, the specific element here being snow covering everything in a very soft way like a fur. The small variety of colours used here enhances Winter grey light which reflects on the white carpet.

I was lucky enough to purchase this print at the London Liberty store. Nearby Carnaby street, William Morris and his friends from the Arts and Craft movement, in the Pre-raphaelite following became the designers of objects and ornaments one could find in this elegant store dedicated to new art, fashion and tendencies at the very end of the XIXth century. Soon the "Liberty style" would be famous all over the world.

This store had from the beginning a section dedicated to art pieces coming from Japan. But everything changed during the 90's... A revamped shop was designed to enter year 2000 and all what was the uniqueness of the place was washed away, the Japan section after one century was shut down. Huge sales were going on and that is when I could choose and buy my Hokusai print at a ridiculously low sales price.