Product Description Summary

• Artist: Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849)
• Series: Hokusai Manga, Volume 12 (first published c. 1814)
• Medium: Woodblock print (black-and-white), consistent with early 19th-century Edo-period printing

• Subject Matter: The scene features finely rendered figures in traditional kimonos, with one reclining and others engaged in subtle activities, evoking a quiet moment from Edo-period daily life, likely infused with Hokusai's characteristic whimsy and humor.

• Text: Includes Japanese annotations, typical of Manga volumes
• Presentation: Professionally framed in gilt wood with silver and gold flecks, black trim, and a teal green matting border
• Dimensions:
• Print (double-page spread): 7 in. (H) x 5 in. (W)
• Framed: 13.25 in. (H) x 15.25 in. (W) x 0.75 in. (D)

A masterwork of the ukiyo-e tradition, this original Japanese woodblock print exemplifies Hokusai’s extraordinary command of line, form, and narrative. Created around 1814 and printed on traditional washi paper, this piece comes from Volume 12 of Hokusai Manga—a pioneering series of sketchbooks that reflect Hokusai’s encyclopedic curiosity and artistic range.

The term manga in this context means “whimsical sketches” and refers to these illustrated volumes that predate the modern comic style by over a century. Hokusai’s Manga offered not only artistic experimentation but also cultural commentary, depicting everything from everyday life to imaginative beings and mythological creatures.

This particular print features fantastical, hybrid forms in a surreal yet natural setting, engaging the viewer with both humor and mystery. The visible signs of aging—such as light discoloration, small holes, and edge wear—attest to its authenticity and historical provenance.

Professionally framed for preservation and display, this piece serves as both a collectible artifact and a captivating visual statement—a rare opportunity to own a genuine fragment of Japan’s artistic legacy.

About the Artist: Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849)

Katsushika Hokusai, one of Japan’s most celebrated and influential artists, was born in the Honjo district of Edo (present-day Tokyo) as Tokitarō Kawamura. He was adopted at an early age by the mirror maker Ise Nakajima and raised in an artisan household, where he began learning the craft of engraving. As a teenager, he took the name Tetsuzō Nakajima and began exploring the world of printing—first working as a delivery boy for a book rental shop, then apprenticing as a woodblock carver around age 14.

By 1779, Hokusai formally began his artistic education under the renowned ukiyo-e master Shunshō Katsukawa (1726–1792), known for his portraits of kabuki actors. Hokusai remained with the Katsukawa school until 1785, when he was dismissed after a disagreement with his teacher. He then joined the Tawaraya workshop and adopted the name "Sōri," working as a designer of surimono—privately commissioned prints—as well as a painter and book illustrator.

In 1798, Hokusai declared his artistic independence, abandoning school affiliations and adopting the name by which he would become world-famous: Hokusai. Over the next decades, despite personal upheavals—including the death of his second wife and frequent relocations—Hokusai’s career flourished. In 1814, he published the first volume of his Hokusai Manga, a groundbreaking collection of sketch-like drawings depicting scenes from everyday life, mythical creatures, nature, and more. These works combined wit, spontaneity, and a keen observational eye.

Hokusai’s most prolific period came in the 1830s. During this time, he created his most iconic work, Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji (c. 1831–1833), a revolutionary series that introduced bold compositions and Western-style one-point perspective to Japanese landscape prints. The series includes the world-renowned Under the Wave off Kanagawa (commonly known as The Great Wave), which has become a global symbol of Japanese art.

After a fire destroyed his home in 1839, Hokusai shifted his focus from printmaking to painting. Even in his later years, he remained restless in his pursuit of artistic mastery. According to legend, his final words were a plea: “If only Heaven will give me just five more years, then I could become a real painter.”

Hokusai died in 1849, but his influence endures. From Impressionist painters in Europe to contemporary artists around the globe, his work continues to inspire with its originality, innovation, and profound sensitivity to the world around him. While The Great Wave brought him iconic status, it is Hokusai’s lifelong spirit of exploration and reinvention that defines his lasting legacy.