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Introduction

The Art of Hokusai

March 15 - June 9, 1996

This small selection of Hokusai's work illustrates the artist's wide range of interests and his creative skills. His experiments with perspective pictures (uki-e); his skillful draftsmanship and close observation of nature and humanity; and his use of the innovative subject matters of birds and flowers and landscape all distinguish his noteworthy contributions to the art of woodblock printing. Hokusai began his career as a pupil of the printmaker Shunsho, who specialized in actor prints. The first print in this exhibit, that of the Kabuki actor Segawa Kikunojo, shows the influence of his teacher. As he matured, Hokusai's art developed in new directions. The privatley commissinoed print (surimono) published for the Yomo poetry group is an exmaple of Hokusai's contact with the literary culture of early nineteenth-century Edo (Tokyo). He designed subtle illustrations to play upon and complement their clever verse. The artist's skills of observation are evident especially in nature studies like the fan print of a Rooster, Hen, and Chickens and in the publication of his strikingly original series of landscape prints of Mt. Fuji, which originated that genre.

Selected Objects

No Image Available

Katsushika Hokusai

Illustrated dances of the east: Vol. 2, spring 1802

Katsushika Hokusai

Matsuchizan, spring 1802

Katsushika Hokusai

Under Mannen Bridge, Fukagawa [Edo] (Fukagawa mannenbashi no shita), ca. 1829-1833

Katsushika Hokusai

Kirifuri falls at Mount Kurokami, Shimotsuke Province (Shimotsuke kurokamiyama kirifuri no taki), ca. 1831-1832

Katsushika Hokusai

Hokusai's picture book: Vol. II, 1875

Katsushika Hokusai

Chunagon Yakamochi [Otomo no Yakamochi (718-785)] (Chunagon Yakamochi), ca. 1835-1836

Katsushika Hokusai

Mount Fuji from Goten-yama at Shinagawa on the Tōkaidō (Tōkaidō Shinagawa Goten-yama no Fuji ), ca. 1830-1831

After Katsushika Hokusai

The Fujiwara: the pearls of ebb and flow and the coiled scythe of the Fujiwara clan (Kanju manju Fuji makikama), ca. 1900

Katsushika Hokusai

Shrike and thistles (Mozu oniazami), ca. 1834

Katsushika Hokusai

Abe no Nakamaro [701-770] (Abe no Nakamaro), ca. 1835-1836

Katsushika Hokusai

Famous views of the eastern capital at a glance (Tōto meisho ichiran), Vol 3, 1800

Katsushika Hokusai

Famous views of the eastern capital at a glance (Tōto meisho ichiran), Vol 1, 1800

Katsushika Hokusai

Hanging-Cloud Bridge, Mount Gyodo, Ashikaga (Ashikaga gyodozan kumo no kakehashi), ca. 1831-1832

Katsushika Hokusai

Bullfinch and weeping cherry (Uso shidarezakura), ca. 1834

Katsushika Hokusai

Cockerels, chicks and spiderworts (Tsuyukusa ni niwatori), mid 1830's

Katsushika Hokusai

Segawa Kikunojo as the courtesan Okiku [the brothel name is illegible] (Segawa Kikunojo;...ya Okiku), 1770s-1780s

Katsushika Hokusai

Yoshida on the Tokaido (Tokaido Yoshida), ca. 1829-1833

Katsushika Hokusai

The temple Honganji, Asakusa, in the eastern capital (Toto asakusa honganji), ca. 1829-1833

Katsushika Hokusai

Ono no Komachi, 1810s

School of Katsushika Hokusai

Kingfisher and sunflower, 1800s

Katsushika Hokusai

Cover design for Isobe's illustrated book Snow-blown Chains of Fate (Hana fubuki en no shigarami), published spring 1832

More objects +

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