Hokusai: a life in drawing

Abstract

Katsushika Hokusai (1760 - 1849) was the most prolific and diverse artist of Japan's Edo period, with a body of work reputed to include more than 30,000 drawings, paintings and prints. His works range from portraits of popular actors and courtesans to landscapes and seascapes and from clearly observed scenes of everyday life to erotic prints. While his prints had a huge influence on the course of Western art, it is equally true that he himself was influenced by European painting. This is a beautifully illustrated introduction to this master artist, who combined great technical prowess with remarkable imagination and a passion for vivid detail.