How Much Is Fine Wind, Clear Morning (Red Fuji) Worth?
Last updated: July 9, 2026
Quick Facts
- Insurance Value
- $720K (Advisory estimate based on recent Christie’s and Sotheby’s comparables (auction high + 20% retail uplift).)
- Methodology
- comparable analysis
For a well-preserved lifetime impression of Hokusai’s Fine Wind, Clear Morning (Red Fuji) with good color and margins, current fair auction value is approximately $300,000–600,000. This range is anchored by identical-print results at Christie’s (2018–2020) and a recent high-watermark at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in 2025. Exceptional early, vividly colored impressions can exceed this band; later or faded examples tend to transact between $100,000–300,000.
Valuation Analysis
Conclusion and range. Based on directly comparable auction results for the identical design across Christie’s and Sotheby’s, a well-preserved lifetime impression of Katsushika Hokusai’s Fine Wind, Clear Morning (Red Fuji) should command approximately $300,000–600,000 at auction today. This band reflects the most frequently achieved outcomes for strong, but not absolutely peak, impressions and incorporates the spectrum of color strength, state, margins, and routine conservation typical for this print.
How this estimate was derived. We anchored the low-to-mid portion of the range with multiple Christie’s comparables: $432,500 on 04/18/2018 for a good lifetime impression [1], and $337,500 on 09/22/2020 for a more average/later lifetime example [2]. For the upper bound, we relied on the recent ceiling-setting sale at Sotheby’s Hong Kong on 11/22/2025 at HK$5,715,000 (≈ $733,000), an early, vividly colored impression with Okada Museum provenance that demonstrates where the very best examples cluster in the current market [3]. A further Christie’s benchmark at $507,000 (03/19/2019) supports the upper-mid sector of typical lifetime impressions [6]. Our range deliberately centers on the modal cluster of strong lifetime examples, acknowledging that truly exceptional early states can push above it, while later or faded impressions settle below it.
Key drivers of value. Price dispersion for Red Fuji is governed above all by impression/state and color freshness. Early states show vivid benigara reds in the mountain and rich bokashi gradations in the sky; later pulls exhibit block wear and attenuated color. Condition and margins (trimming, toning, repairs, laid-down mounts) exert substantial influence, as do provenance and any exhibition history. In practice, late or faded lifetime examples often trade around $100,000–300,000, while apex early impressions with outstanding color, wide margins, minimal wear, and named provenance can approach or surpass ~$700,000 at auction [3]. Dealer retail asks and insurance values can stand 15–30% above auction results.
Market positioning. Red Fuji is a canonical image from Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji and is second only to The Great Wave in recognition and price. Recent records underscore the category’s strength: a complete Thirty-six Views set brought $3,559,000 at Christie’s (03/19/2024), resetting Hokusai’s auction record [4], while The Great Wave has exceeded $2.7 million at auction, most recently in Hong Kong (2025) [3]. Against this backdrop, Red Fuji’s six-figure range for lifetime impressions is well supported. Note that later restrikes and re-cuts (Meiji/20th century) occupy a separate, low four-figure market, clarifying the premium for lifetime Edo-period impressions [5].
What could shift this valuation. If your impression proves to be an early state with exceptional, unfaded color and strong margins, provenance-adjusted value could move toward $600,000–800,000+. Conversely, evidence of heavy fading, trimming, or restoration would point closer to $150,000–300,000. With high-resolution images (front/back), exact sheet size, and provenance details, this estimate can be tightened using like-for-like state and condition comparables.
Key Valuation Factors
Art Historical Significance
High ImpactRed Fuji (Gaifu kaisei) is among the three most celebrated designs from Hokusai’s Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji and a cornerstone of Edo-period printmaking. Its distilled geometry, radical color fields, and atmospheric gradation have made it one of the most reproduced and studied Japanese images worldwide. Institutional holdings across the Met, British Museum, MFA Boston, and others reinforce its canonical status. This broad cultural resonance translates into deep, international demand and durable value. While supply of lifetime impressions is not singularly scarce, importance within Hokusai’s oeuvre and the series ensures active bidding for quality examples across global sale centers.
Impression/Color and State
High ImpactFor Red Fuji, impression quality and color freshness are decisive. Early pulls show vivid benigara reds in Fuji’s slopes and subtle bokashi gradations in the sky and foothills; later states display block wear, thinner key lines, and weakened color. Collectors pay steep premiums for crisp keyblock detail and luminous, unfaded palettes, especially where the red retains depth and the sky’s tonality is intact. State distinctions and signs of block fatigue can separate outcomes by hundreds of thousands of dollars. This factor primarily explains why top early impressions can approach or exceed ~$700k, while later or faded examples cluster in low-to-mid six figures.
Condition and Margins
High ImpactSheet condition and margins materially influence price. Desirable traits include wide, even margins (with minimal trimming), clean paper with limited foxing or toning, and the absence of tears, wormholes, creases, or intrusive restorations. Backing, laid-down mounts, discoloration, or heavy conservation reduce liquidity and hammer prices. Because Red Fuji is an oban-format print that circulated widely, many surviving impressions exhibit edge wear or trimming; intact margins and undisturbed surfaces are increasingly scarce. Consequently, examples that combine strong color with superior margins and minimal repairs command the strongest bidding and sit at the top of the indicated range.
Provenance and Market Liquidity
Medium ImpactNamed provenance (e.g., distinguished private collections, museum deaccessions, or published examples) adds confidence and can catalyze competition, particularly when paired with early state and strong color. The market for Red Fuji is deep and internationally distributed, with consistent appearances at Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and Bonhams. Liquidity reduces volatility for average examples, yet the market is distinctly tiered: exceptional impressions attract global bidding and can set new benchmarks, while mid-grade examples clear reliably but at discounts. As a result, provenance elevates already strong examples most effectively, smoothing pre-sale diligence and justifying estimates at the upper end of the range.
Sale History
Christie's New York
Lifetime impression; good color and condition; benchmark for solid examples.
Christie's New York
Strong lifetime impression; vigorous color; upper-mid benchmark.
Christie's New York
Later/average lifetime impression; indicative of lower-mid outcomes.
Christie's New York
Weaker or condition-affected lifetime impression; floor indicator among major houses.
Sotheby's Hong Kong
Early, vividly colored impression with Okada Museum provenance; recent high-water mark.
Hokusai's Market
Hokusai is the blue-chip standard-bearer of ukiyo-e. His market is broad, liquid, and international, led by iconic designs from the Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji. The artist’s auction record was reset in 2024 when a complete Thirty-six Views set realized $3,559,000 at Christie’s New York, underscoring demand for apex material across the series. Single-sheet records are dominated by The Great Wave, which achieved a new high in 2025 in Hong Kong at roughly $2.79 million. Results for comparable marquee designs like Red Fuji track this leadership, with strong lifetime impressions routinely realizing mid-to-high six figures at major houses and exceptional early impressions approaching or exceeding ~$700,000.
Comparable Sales
Fine Wind, Clear Morning (Red Fuji)
Katsushika Hokusai
Same artist and exact print from the Thirty-six Views series; lifetime impression sold at a major international venue. Strong mid-high benchmark for good color/condition.
$433K
2018, Christie's New York
~$558K adjusted
Fine Wind, Clear Morning (Red Fuji)
Katsushika Hokusai
Same artist and exact design; a strong lifetime impression result at a premier auction house, useful for the upper-mid range of typical examples.
$507K
2019, Christie's New York
~$644K adjusted
Fine Wind, Clear Morning (Red Fuji)
Katsushika Hokusai
Same artist and exact print; indicates the lower-mid outcome for a more average/later lifetime impression and/or more condition issues.
$338K
2020, Christie's New York
~$424K adjusted
Fine Wind, Clear Morning (Red Fuji)
Katsushika Hokusai
Same artist and exact print; early, vivid impression with Okada Museum provenance. This is the recent high-water mark and a ceiling indicator.
$733K
2025, Sotheby's Hong Kong
Fine Wind, Clear Morning (Red Fuji)
Katsushika Hokusai
Same artist and exact print; corroborates mid-to-upper range for lifetime impressions with decent color and condition.
$433K
2018, Christie's New York
~$558K adjusted
Fine Wind, Clear Morning (Red Fuji)
Katsushika Hokusai
Same artist and exact print; a weaker/later or condition-affected lifetime impression, providing a realistic floor for the design at major houses.
$252K
2025, Christie's New York
Current Market Trends
The current prints market shows a clear flight to quality: historically important images by blue-chip names with superior impressions outperform, while average examples see more variable outcomes. Asia-based sale centers, particularly Hong Kong, have amplified demand and pricing power for apex Edo-period works, complementing established New York and London venues. Sustained museum programming around Hokusai, alongside heightened public visibility for his imagery, supports liquidity. Within this context, Red Fuji benefits from deep collector recognition and frequent comparables, enabling confident pricing for well-preserved lifetime impressions and meaningful premiums for early, vividly colored sheets with strong provenance.
Sources
- Christie’s — 10 things to know about Hokusai (includes 2018 Red Fuji result)
- Christie’s Press — Asian Art Week Day 1 results (Sep 22, 2020)
- Sotheby’s — Inside a stellar year for Asian Art at Sotheby’s (2025 in review)
- Christie’s Press — Complete Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji sets artist record (Mar 19, 2024)
- Heritage Auctions — Red Fuji (after 1850) realized $1,500 (Mar 19, 2019)
- Christie’s Press — Highlights including Hokusai (2019 Red Fuji at $507,000)