Katsushika Hokusai facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hokusai (北斎 )
Katsushika Hokusai, in an 1839 self-portrait
Born	Tokitarō 時太郎 supposedly October 31, 1760 Edo (present-day Tokyo), Japan
Died	10 May 1849 (aged 88) Edo (present-day Tokyo), Japan
Nationality	Japanese
Known for	Ukiyo-e painting, manga and woodblock printing
Notable work	The Great Wave off Kanagawa

Katsushika Hokusai (born October 31, 1760 – died May 10, 1849) was a famous Japanese artist. He was a master of ukiyo-e painting and printmaking during Japan's Edo period. Hokusai was born in Edo, which is now the city of Tokyo.

He is best known for his amazing series of woodblock prints called Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji. This series includes one of the most famous artworks in the world, The Great Wave off Kanagawa.

Hokusai created the Thirty-six Views because many people in Japan were starting to travel more. He also had a special interest in Mount Fuji. This series, especially The Great Wave and Fine Wind, Clear Morning, made Hokusai very famous in Japan and around the world.

Hokusai's Art and Inspiration

The Great Wave off Kanagawa is one of Hokusai's most famous prints.

Hokusai had a very long career as an artist. However, he made most of his most important artworks after he turned 60 years old. His most popular work is the ukiyo-e series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji. He created these prints between 1826 and 1833.

The series actually has 46 prints in total. Ten more prints were added after the first ones were published.

More Famous Works

In 1834, Hokusai also created One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji. Many people think this is his best landscape picture book. Hokusai changed the art of ukiyo-e. Before him, it mostly showed actors and beautiful women. He made it about landscapes, plants, and animals instead.

Chōshi in Shimosha, from One Thousand Images of the Sea.

Why Mount Fuji?

Hokusai's choice of art name and his frequent pictures of Mount Fuji came from his religious beliefs. The name Hokusai means "North Star Studio." Hokusai was part of a Buddhist group called Nichiren. This group believed the North Star was connected to a special god named Myōken.

Mount Fuji has long been linked to the idea of eternal life in Japan. This belief comes from an old story called The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. In the story, a goddess leaves the elixir of life on the mountain's peak. So, Mount Fuji was seen as a source of immortality. This is why Hokusai was so interested in the mountain.

Hokusai Manga

One of Hokusai's biggest works is a 15-volume collection called Hokusai Manga. This book is full of almost 4,000 sketches. It was published in 1814.

These sketches are sometimes mistakenly thought to be like modern manga. However, Hokusai's Manga is a collection of drawings of animals, people, and objects. It is different from the story-based comic books we know as modern manga today.

Images for kids

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  Fireworks in the Cool of Evening at Ryogoku Bridge in Edo, print, c. 1788–89

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  Image of bathers from the Hokusai Manga

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  Contemporary print of Hokusai painting the Great Daruma in 1817

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  Fine Wind, Clear Morning (or Red Fuji), from Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji

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  Portrait of Hokusai by disciple Keisai Eisen

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  Cover of Debussy's La Mer, 1905

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  Dragon on the Higashimachi Festival Float, Obuse, 1844

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  Feminine Wave, painted while living in Obuse, 1845

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  The Dragon of Smoke Escaping From Mount Fuji, painting, 1849

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  Tiger in the Snow, hanging scroll, ink and colour on silk, 1849

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  Thunderstorm Beneath the Summit, from Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji

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  Kirifuri waterfall at Kurokami Mountain in Shimotsuke, from A Tour of Japanese Waterfalls

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  Cuckoo and Azaleas, 1834 from the Small Flower series

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  Egrets from Quick Lessons in Simplified Drawing

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  Carp Leaping up a Cascade

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  The Ghost of Oiwa, from One Hundred Ghost Stories

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  Still Life, surimono print

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  Kajikazawa in Kai Province, from Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji

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  Tenma Bridge in Setsu Province, from Rare Views of Famous Japanese Bridges

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  "The Big Wave" from One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji

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  Amida Falls, from A Tour of Japanese Waterfalls

See also

In Spanish: Katsushika Hokusai para niños