Hokusai: Roben Waterfall at Oyama in Sagami Province 相州大山ろうべんの瀧

Artist: Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849)Title: Roben Waterfall at Oyama in Sagami Province 相州大山ろうべんの瀧  (Soshu Oyama Roben no taki)Date: 1832 Price: $23,000 Descending from the forested cliff above, Roben waterfall cascades in a smooth arc to the pool below, where pilgrims purify themselves in its icy waters. Hokusai has warmly depicted a group of such pilgrims, the men focused on the process of purifying their bodies by standing under the falls with fortitude before climbing out to dry themselves and reclaim their clothes and packs. Several of the men carry wooden swords as offerings which will presumably be offered at the Aburi Shrine that is further up Mount Oyama. We see traveling hats stacked at right with the seal of the publisher Nishimuraya Yohachi winkingly adorning the topmost one. Men here seem to be resting and conversing in a cottage, cloths hanging to dry nearby--their relaxed mien hints that they might have already visited the temple. The publisher has also snuck in his nam