HOKUSAI

born October 1760, Edo [now Tokyo], Japan died May 10, 1849, Edo The Breaking Wave off Kanagawa, wood-block colour print by Hokusai, from the series in full Katsushika Hokusai, professional names Shunro, Sori, Kako, Taito, Gakyojin, Iitsu, and Manji Japanese master artist and printmaker of the ukiyo-e (pictures of the floating world) school. His early works represent the full spectrum of ukiyo-e art, including single-sheet prints of landscapes and actors, hand paintings, and surimono (printed things), such as greetings and announcements. Later he concentrated on the classical themes of the samurai and Chinese subjects. His famous print series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, published between 1826 and 1833, marked the summit in the history of the Japanese landscape print (see photograph). Additional reading J.R. Hillier, Hokusai: Paintings, Drawings, and Woodcuts (1955), the best general appreciation of Hokusai in English, though the biographical material is based on outdated sourcesincludes a detailed listing of his illustrated books; James A. Michener (ed.), The Hokusai Sketchbooks: Selections from the Manga, with translations by Richard Lane (1958), a comprehensive sampling of the Hokusai manga, with commentary, and translation of all prefaces; Theodore R. Bowie, The Drawings of Hokusai (1964), a pioneer study, but flawed by being based largely on forgeries and school copies; Richard Lane, Masters of the Japanese Print (1962), includes a critical survey of Hokusai's work and times, based on original sources. Major Works: Prints and illustrations. Festivals of the Green Houses (c. 1790); Festivals for the Twelve Months (c. 1790); Foreigners Observing Japanese Customs (1796); Chushingura series (I) (c. 1800); Brocade Prints of the Thirty-six Poetesses (1801); Fifty Fanciful Poets, Each with One Poem (1802); Fuji in Spring (1803); A Picture Book of Kyoka (180304); Fifty-three Stations on the Tokaido (1804); Chushingura series (II) (1806); Suikoden (1807); Portraits of Six Poets (c. 1810); Quick Lessons in Simplified Drawing (1812); Hokusai manga, vol. 1 (1814); Hokusai gashiki (1819); Hokusai soga (1820); Paintings with One Stroke of the Brush (1823); Thirty-six Views of Mt. Fuji (c. 182633); Views of Famous Bridges (c. 182730); Snow, Moon, and Flowers (c. 182730); Flowers and Birds (c. 182730); The Poems of China and Japan Mirrored to Life (c. 182833); Toshi-sen (183336); Hundred Views of Mt. Fuji (183435); Hundred Poems Explained by the Nurse (c. 1845).