Mt Unzen in Hizen Province — 雲仙岳

The seventh impression state of Hasui's Mt Unzen design represents a print well into its production run, when the woodblocks had been used extensively and the printer's accumulated familiarity with the composition produced consistent results within the natural variation inherent in hand-printing. The composition depicting Unzen's volcanic peaks in Hizen Province (modern Nagasaki Prefecture) likely presents the mountain from a middle distance, balancing the irregular volcanic profile against sky and, possibly, the waters of Shimabara Bay. The steaming vents or clouds that characterize the site would be rendered with the light, diffuse bokashi treatment Hasui reserved for atmospheric phenomena. The oban-format print on dampened washi would show the characteristic slight textural depth produced when pigment is pressed into the paper's surface by a smooth baren, giving the color areas their characteristic matte quality.