About the Artwork:
Literally meaning “Pictures of the Floating World," the art movement called "Ukiyo-e" refers to a style of Japanese woodblock print and painting from the late 17th to late 19th century.
Hokusai is best-known as author of the woodblock print series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (c. 1831) which includes the iconic and internationally recognized print, The Great Wave off Kanagawa, created during the 1820s.
Literally meaning “Pictures of the Floating World," the art movement called "Ukiyo-e" refers to a style of Japanese woodblock print and painting from the late 17th to late 19th century.
Hokusai is best-known as author of the woodblock print series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (c. 1831) which includes the iconic and internationally recognized print, The Great Wave off Kanagawa, created during the 1820s.
About the Artist:
Hokusai was known by at least 30 names during his lifetime. Although the use of multiple names was a common practice of Japanese artists of the time, the numbers of names he used far exceeds that of any other major Japanese artist. He had also adopted the name he would most widely be known by, Katsushika Hokusai, the former name referring to the part of Edo where he was born and the latter meaning, 'north studio'.
Hokusai had a long career, but he produced most of his important work after age 60.
Hokusai created the "Thirty-Six Views" both as a response to a domestic travel boom and as part of a personal obsession with Mount Fuji. It was this series, specifically The Great Wave print and Fuji in Clear Weather, that secured Hokusai’s fame both within Japan and overseas.
During Hokusai’s career, strict Japanese government policies prevented any import or export of goods, and also forbade free movement of its people and foreigners wanting to exit or gain entry to the country. When Japan finally opened its borders in the 1850s, Europe rapidly embraced Japanese art, especially the work of Hokusai, whose artwork fell into the hands of some of most renowned western artists in history, including Claude Monet, who collected 23 of the Japanese artist’s prints.
Hokusai was known by at least 30 names during his lifetime. Although the use of multiple names was a common practice of Japanese artists of the time, the numbers of names he used far exceeds that of any other major Japanese artist. He had also adopted the name he would most widely be known by, Katsushika Hokusai, the former name referring to the part of Edo where he was born and the latter meaning, 'north studio'.
Hokusai had a long career, but he produced most of his important work after age 60.
Hokusai created the "Thirty-Six Views" both as a response to a domestic travel boom and as part of a personal obsession with Mount Fuji. It was this series, specifically The Great Wave print and Fuji in Clear Weather, that secured Hokusai’s fame both within Japan and overseas.
During Hokusai’s career, strict Japanese government policies prevented any import or export of goods, and also forbade free movement of its people and foreigners wanting to exit or gain entry to the country. When Japan finally opened its borders in the 1850s, Europe rapidly embraced Japanese art, especially the work of Hokusai, whose artwork fell into the hands of some of most renowned western artists in history, including Claude Monet, who collected 23 of the Japanese artist’s prints.
Sources:
https://www.katsushikahokusai.org
https://www.mfa.org/exhibitions/hokusai
https://mymodernmet.com/katsushika-hokusai-the-great-wave/
https://www.katsushikahokusai.org
https://www.mfa.org/exhibitions/hokusai
https://mymodernmet.com/katsushika-hokusai-the-great-wave/