The single most recognizable image from Japanese art, ever is surely the "Wave Off Kanagawa" by our artist of the day, Hokusai from 1831.
There are several notable angles to his life, works, and times that drew me to him for my #MondayMorningArt today.
Hokusai lived a long productive life. In comparison to the works of the European masters, or our favourite Canadians, he lived a very prolific life. He was probably born in October 1760, say the histories. There is some confusion due to conversion of calendar systems and record keeping. Yet much of his famous work is from the 1830s and 40s - in his 70s and 80s.
I almost hesitate to include the famous "Wave off Kangawa" image because it is so iconic. Forget calling it most well-known Japanese paintings, it is probably among the top dozen images in art ever, from any culture.
The famous coloured woodcut is part of published series called "Thirty Six Views of Mount Fuji."
It's also one of the most copied, parodied, commercially exploited and reprinted images ever. From the side of a 1970s van, to packaging of every conceivable food-stuff, it's simplicity, power and dramatic composition are iconic to say the least.
Remember this is in a series - the first in the series - honouring the revered Mount Fuji. At first glance, the volcano is almost not seen. But with a moment your eye is drawn through the great sweeping, powerful arc of the wave and dropped right on top of the central subject.
The series featured diverse scenes, all enjoyable, in subject, style and tone. Many focus on the locals of their area going about their daily work. Some are more whimsical in their subject matter.For example, the 11th of the series is "Mitsui shop in Suruga in Edo" with kites and the figures on the shop roof capture such movement and fun I can't imagine in 1830s European art.
The views of Mt Fuji works were part of a popular movement towards domestic travel that had emerged in the mid 19th century.
Japanese art seems centuries ahead in some ways, with manga/comics and travelogs common and marketed to the masses. Perhaps it was the Japanese expertise in paper making and wood-cut techniques that set their culture ahead of the west in this regard.
This at the left is "Ejiri in Suruga Province" – number 10 in that series of Mt. Fuji views –and again a great one in catching a sense of motion with flying papers, and people holding onto their hats in the strong wind.
But just as striking - look at the representation of Fujisan in this image. Just the starkest of representations, as a line of its outline. So far confident, this artist, who finds such freedom in how he chooses to represent even most important element of his composition. The S-curved path, the tree up the left third of the page. Classic composition devices still taught to young artists today.
Hokusai apparently went by many different names over his career. Looking over his body of work, I felt like I was looking at the works of several different artists. I wondered if historians were mistaken, and had merely lumped together multiple artists of the same period under the Hokusai label. But a hint to why that may have seemed so is communicated in a preserved account of the artist complaining that one of the block-cutters at the publishing outfit was drifting too far away from the way Hokusai insisted that peoples' heads be drawn.
So it appears that the commercial production of art books had driven them to a division of labour only later to be seen in the west. With artist and production separated, there are hints of the styles of the intermediaries creeping into the works.
Indeed there were apparently even 'how to' art books produced in this period, as commercially produced and distributed art was so popular. This was an importantt source of income for this master of illustration and publishing.
Hokusai produced such instructional books, like his "Quick Lessons in Simplified Drawing" to teach other artists some of his techniques, such as in his image of Cranes, rendered in simple lines, in a variety of postures and movements. It's not quite "draw the kid with the big eyes to get into art school for free" but it's not far off.
Hokusai does work in all the areas that can earn him commercial success. From portraiture to botanicals. A few "Shunga" or erotic works as well, that could make even a modern Internet browser blush. His work is widely varied and in many ways I see similarity to works of later century artists like Escher and comic book artists of today.
This lion-riding, sword-wielding, swashbuckler is seems like it would be in good company in a modern comic book.
The colour palette seems like it may well have inspired a much-later-arriving Alphonse Mucha, as featured last week in my MondayMorningArt series.
The golds and reds are certainly right up his alley. The fantasy nature of the work, as well, would resonate with him. Hokusai produced many images of cortesans and lavishly painted, kimono-clad ladies too. That would certainly have appealled to Mucha.
Below are a couple of pages of Manga drawings - the cartoons of the time. These Bathers and acrobatic horse-dudes area all about capturing action and movement.
These beautiful carp fish are a pleasure to look at. There are many fish and botanical paintings and woodcuts that define the art of the period, but I have to assume our modern view of such classic Japanese-art subject matter was somewhat defined by the work of Hokusai.
Finally, in the genre of animal subject matter, I enjoyed this little sketch of a tanuki (Japanese raccoon dog thing) curled around a cooking pot. I assume it may well be a snapshot from Hokusai's real life experience. I can imagine a cold morning with a still-warm pot hanging over the hearth, and an already black-and-white raccoon enjoying the heat from the big iron pot to warm his bones.
Hokusai dies in Tokyo approaching his 90th birthday. There's a quote that probably wraps up every biography of the artist, but is a poignant one that probably speaks much to how driven he was as such a prolific artist.
As he lay on his deathbed he is purported to say "...just another five more years, then I could become a real painter"
Lots of his work has survived to treat our eyes to his view of the world. And that's even with a bunch of it being wiped out in a studio fire during his lifetime.
He died in Tokyo in 1849.
