Katsushika Hokusai was a master of the ukiyo-e genre and is best known for The Great Wave off Kanagawa, one of the most iconic images in the history of art.
Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) was a Japanese artist of the Edo period, widely recognized as the greatest master of woodblock printing. Working across 9 decades of life, he reportedly changed his name 30 times -- believing each new name marked a fresh stage of artistic growth.
His Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji series, created between 1830 and 1832, includes The Great Wave off Kanagawa -- the single most recognizable image in Japanese art. The series explores the relationship between humans, nature, and the eternal, unchanging form of Mount Fuji.
Hokusai's influence on Western art is profound. The Impressionists and Post-Impressionists, including van Gogh, Monet, and Toulouse-Lautrec, collected and studied his work. His bold compositions, flat areas of color, and dramatic use of nature anticipate movements that would reshape Western painting.
Major Works
- The Great Wave off Kanagawa
- Fine Wind, Clear Morning (Red Fuji)
- The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife
- Kanagawa-oki nami ura