Mt. Fuji 11

The eleventh in Kitaoka's sustained series of Fuji studies, this woodblock print reflects the [sosaku-hanga](/glossary/sosaku-hanga) approach to an iconic subject: rather than reproduce a fixed pictorial convention, Kitaoka investigated the mountain across multiple states and seasons, treating each numbered impression as a discrete formal inquiry. His Fuji prints characteristically reduce the volcano's silhouette to broad planar passages, using selective [bokashi](/glossary/bokashi) gradations to suggest atmospheric distance or seasonal light without literal description. The carving is typically assertive — visible grain and deliberate tool marks animate the surface in ways that distinguish these works from both the polished finish of Meiji [shin-hanga](/glossary/shin-hanga) and the Edo-period [nishiki-e](/glossary/nishiki-e) tradition. The numbered series format itself signals Kitaoka's engagement with Western printmaking practice, where serialized exploration of a motif carries conceptual weight alongside visual documentation.