(b Edo [now Tokyo], 1760; d Edo, 1849). Japanese painter, draughtsman and printmaker. His work not only epitomized ukiyoe (‘pictures of the floating world’) painting and printmaking (see JAPAN, §§VI, 4(iv)(b) and IX, 2(iii)) but represented the essence of artistic endeavour and achievement over a period of 70 years of single-minded creativity. He was a voracious student of a huge range of artistic techniques, ranging from painting of Ming period (1368–1644) China to the styles of the KANO SCHOOL, SUMIYOSHI SCHOOL, Rinpa painting (see JAPAN, §VI, 4(v)) and his contemporaries of Edo period (1600–1868) Japan, to Western-style painting (Yoga; see JAPAN, §VI, 5(iv)). His work also covered a spectrum of art forms: nikuhitsuga (polychrome or ink paintings); surimono (‘printed things’; de luxe, small-edition woodblock prints) and nishikie (polychrome prints); woodblocks for eirihon (illustrated books) and kyoka ehon (illustrated books of poems called kyoka); and printed book illustrations for kibyoshi (‘yellow cover’ books, often moralizing tales and adventures) and yomihon (‘reading books’, sometimes historical novels). He was one of the main shunga (erotic picture) artists of the Edo period (see EROTIC ART, fig. 10). Hokusai is thought to have made in all at least 30,000 drawings and the illustrations for 500 books. He led a life of singular variety, sustained by his inexhaustible energy. Since the late 19th century, his work has had a significant impact on Western artists such as Gauguin and van Gogh, as well as receiving universal acclaim from art lovers and critics.

• Katsushika Hokusai
  • Edo period
  • Japan, §VI, 4(iv)(b): Painting: Late: Genre painting: Ukiyoe
  • assistants
    • Women and art history, §IV, 1: East Asia: Role of women and professional artists
  • attributions
    • Toshusai Sharaku, §1: Identity and background
  • collaboration
    • Japan, §IX, 3(iii)(c): Prints, c 1780–c 1800
  • exhibitions
    • Japan, §XXI, 3(ii): Exhibitions, after 1945
    • Wiener Werkstätte, §1: Influences and aims
  • patrons and collectors
    • Erotic art, §II: Historiography and collections
    • Freer, Charles Lang
    • Harari, Ralph
    • Siebold, Philipp Franz von
  • prints
    • Japonisme, §1: Origins and diffusion
    • albums
      • Japan, §IX, 3(iii)(d): Prints and books: Edo period: prints and after: Historical development: c. 1800–c. 1820
    • book illustrations
      • Ishikawa Toyonobu
      • Japan, §IX, 2(iii): Illustrated books, Edo period and after
      • Japan, §IX, 3(iii)(e): Prints, c 1820–1868
      • Japan, §IX, 3(iii)(e): Prints, c 1820–1868
      • Japan, §XVI, 21: Tattoos
    • landscape
      • Ando Hiroshige, §2: 1818–48
      • Japan, §IX, 2: Books, Edo period and after
      • Japan, §IX, 3(iii)(e): Prints, c 1820–1868
      • Mt Fuji
      • Titles, §2(ii): Japan
    • shunga
      • Erotic art, §I, 3(iii): Japan
      • Japan, §IX, 3(iii)(a): Prints, c 1600–c 1760
    • surimono
      • Japan, §IX, 3(iii)(d): Prints and books: Edo period: prints and after: Historical development: c. 1800–c. 1820
      • Japan, §IX, 3(iii)(d): Prints and books: Edo period: prints and after: Historical development: c. 1800–c. 1820
  • pupils
    • Toyota Hokkei
  • teachers
    • Katsukawa
    • Katsukawa: (1) Katsukawa Shunsho