Hokusai Biography
Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) was a Japanese painter and wood engraver in the Edo Period. He was trained at the art studio of Katsukawa Shunsho. During apprenticeship period, Hokusai produced tens of thousands of prints, paintings, and illustrations. However, he moved out in 1785, as he disagreed with Katsukawa Shunsho, his trainer.
Hokusai's images depicted the Japanese countryside, people and legends. Hokusai's prints influenced many European impressionists like Claude Monet,Vincent van Gogh, Edgar Degas, and Henri Toulouse-Lautrec. He is most famous for his series of prints called "Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji". One of these views, "The Great Wave Off Kanagawa," has become a timeless icon and a great inspiration for generations of painters.
Hokusai was an unusual person, changed his name many times and changed his residence many times. He was prolific in his work, not caring for money or stylish living. He has completed more than 300,000 works, including silk paintings, woodblock prints, picture books, travel drawings, erotic paintings and sketches. |
