H O K U S A I PAINTINGS AND DRAWINGS IN THE FREER GALLERY OF ART SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION Freer Gallery of Art Was
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H O K
U S A
I
PAINTINGS AND DRAWINGS IN
THE
FREER GALLERY OF ART
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
Freer Gallery of Art Washington, D. C.
Imithsonian Publication No. 4419 DESIGN BY
Thank Dobias
C0VER " ES1GN
G "" l
ANn Cat
FOREWORD In connection with the celebration of the
sary of the
Art
is
Townsend Harris
treaty with Japan, the Freer Gallery of
holding a special exhibition of paintings by the famous ukiyoe
master Hokusai,
who
lived
from
well illustrated with paintings
short
one-hundredth anniver-
account of Hokusai's
remarkably large holdings of
1
760
to
1
849. In the present booklet,
and drawings, you life.
will find
an excellent
This exhibition comes from the
this artist's
work owned by
Gallery of Art.
A. G. Wenley, Director.
Freer Gallery of Art April 1960.
3
the Freer
H0KU5AI Two
hundred years ago,
in the ninth
the Horeki era, during the reign of the one of Japan, Tohito, a child
and the
was born
in
become one of the the
rule of the tenth
pseudonyms.
fifty
abroad than
in his
The
Japan.
who was
his life
His fame
rests
made
he
was frowned upon by the
acceptance
his
artist of the
ukiyoe or
traditional connoisseurs of
collectors of the western world, however,
production of
known by
use of approxi-
more upon
homeland, for he was an
destined to
popularly
is
Ieharu,
world" popular genre school of painting, which
so-called "floating until recently
Tokugawa Shogun,
He
great artists of Japan.
of the tenth year of
hundred sixteenth Emperor
Edo, present-day Tokyo,
name Hokusai, although during
mately
month
embraced the
school with intensity and sought Hokusai's work.
this
Time has passed and
the output of his brush, which was never at rest,
has been spread throughout the world and has served as a source of
many
inspiration to
One
artists.
often enjoys reflecting on the
was so able
is
A
The
a
man who
complete study of
impossible in any single collection, for
paintings, sketches, prints, books,
in
and times of
to fire the imagination of others.
Hokusai's work
designs.
life
it
comprises
and even some attempts
at textile
Freer Gallery of Art, however,
is
extremely fortunate
being the repository of the largest collection of paintings and draw-
ings
produced by Hokusai.
Museum
It is
only
in this collection, or that of the
of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, that his development
of an individual style
and
his
in
skill
handling
his
brush can be
carefully traced.
Who lips of
of a
was Hokusai? These were the words that echoed on the
many
of the artists on the Continent shortly after the discovery
volume of Hokusai's Manga (printed Sketch Books) by the
French engraver Bracquemond
in
1856
5
in the
shop of Delatre,
his
The
printer.
story
is
often related that pages of these books
used as packing material France.
It
had been
shipment of ceramics from Japan to
in a
impossible to trace the veracity of the story; however,
is
and by 1867 there
the desire for things Japanese rapidly caught hold,
already existed La Societe' Japonaise du Jinglar, composed of
artists
in France.
Hokusai was born into the Kawamura family
known in
Honjo Warigesui, which was
as
1760.
It
is
from
As
he was to use.
this latter site that
him
he selected one of the names
often happened in Japan,
when he was but four
father, Ise,
was
maker of mirrors. Japan
a
more able
to provide
This was the Nakajima family, and
in the future.
his
The country
had been united under the Tokugawa Shogunate, and, although
social
society,
it
and there was an ever-increasing demand
for
a place in
works of
art to
be supplied to the homes of the nouveaux riches and the travelers.
townsmen who could now artists of the
afford art were interested in having the
in
everyday
life,
and especially desired representations
of their favorite pleasures, the theatre
painting came to flourish in the teenth century on.
Many
painting prior to
its
and the courtesans. Thus ukiyoe
cities
great artists
can almost be said to mark the
of
Japan from the
last significant
flowering of this style of
demise.
training that
Hokusai underwent while
with the world of design and craftsmanship. teen, his education took
unknown
nique of carving
late seven-
had preceded Hokusai, and he
hold of the mirror maker proved valuable, for
to an
The
period portray the scenes familiar to them, such as those
which occurred
The
was
did permit the economic and
it
The craftsmen had found
development of Japan.
new
time was experienc-
at that
ing an era of expanding prosperity and relative peace.
an enforced rather than natural peace,
Edo
part of Katsushika District,
or five years old he was adopted into a family for
in the area of
it
put him
When he was
in contact
about four-
another step forward and he was apprenticed
engraver.
wood
a child in the house-
He was
thus permitted to study the tech-
blocks for prints. This gave him an advantage
6
over his colleagues in later
work
in
life,
few of them had been privileged
for
and understand the principal technique by which
production would be reproduced. reflects that
Hokusafs
skill
the
of
their artistic
handling
in
to
line
he was an apt pupil.
The next major development
in
life
Hokusai was
his
entrance in 1778, at the age of eighteen, into the studio of the already established ukiyoe master
Katsukawa Shunsho.
It
had always been
practice for a recognized artist to surround himself with students.
a If
he found them acceptable, he would assign names to them and they
would continue
work
to
The name Shunsho
as his representatives.
gave to Hokusai was Shunro, and he produced style of his master.
It
is
likely that, while in
many
prints in the
Shunsho's studio, he
turned out the painting attributed to him of the Courtesan Writing (Fig. 2)
It is
.
almost a direct copy of a painting by his teacher, save
for the addition of poetry
and the deletion of two palanquin
Hokusai's stay in the studio of Shunsho was not destined to for an altercation occurred
the elder artist
and
and changed
in
his
1785 he
name
to
left
carriers.
last long,
the protecting wing of
So Shunro.
It
is
from
this
period on that he began to develop an individual style.
Shortly after Hokusai
many pseudonyms
set forth
his
varying combinations.
in
upon during
his late twenties
of Sori.
He had
somewhat
to learn
more about
relied
on
tired
own, he took
to using
The one most commonly
and through
his thirties
of the ukiyoe style
traditional Japanese painting.
was that
and had gone out
He
is
reported to
Kano master and certainly was acquainted with The painting technique that most fascinated him
have studied with a the
Tosa
during
style.
this period,
however, was that of the Rimpa school, named
after Korin, the great
master of a decorative style of painting. Painters
of this school relied
upon
the use of washes
compositions with large round seal marks.
by
this
group that he elected
was painted
also signed their
Hokusai was so influenced
to be the fourth generation Sori
copied the seal and techniques of (Fig. 4)
and
this school.
in that style;
and
Jhe Six ^Master Voets
however, Hokusai was never able
7
to divorce himself completely
from ukiyoe. The influence of the print
masters Shunsho, Utamaro, and Kiyonaga can be seen in a his paintings that
Dan he
New
In that year
known
appeared on some
it
today.
The
all
5,
opaque
6) bear the simple
style
and one speculates
His
girls all
from
at this point of his
reality
appear
ments of
figures.
in the
Hokusai was were
great.
He
had developed
also
canon
a
rather
on viewing them, one has the
feeling
and
a
model.
are truly of a "floating world."
development that he evidenced
concern for realism, such as to
to the brilliant,
They have
whether he used
as to
that they are detached
He
He
resemble each other in their features,
stylized, long, squarish faces, and,
began
Hokusai signature and
and had returned
palette of the ukiyoe masters.
for the female form.
is
book
likelihood products of his late thirties or early forties.
had forsaken the preceding
It
illustrations for the
pair of paintings of courtesans performing
Year's Rituals (Figs.
are in
had not made use of the name
ka and became his most often used name, and the one by which
to
is
of
bear the Sori signature.
Prior to the year 1798, the artist
Hokusai.
number
in his
handling of
musculature and
A
textiles.
a
growing
mannerism
in his articulation of the
a very prolific artist,
move-
and the demands upon him
never permitted his art to stagnate, however, and often
turned to experimentation and the creation of tours de jorce. In
1
804
he executed a painting, some eighteen yards long and eleven yards wide, of the Patriarch Saint of
in the
com-
Otowa Gorokuji Temple in Edo, and repeated the feat Nagoya thirteen years later. The story is reported of his great
pound in
Zen Buddhism, Daruma,
of the
success in a painting competition with the very popular artist Tani
Buncho (1764-1840), done on the command Hokusai 's painting was River.
To produce
brush painted a
it,
titled
Shogun
Ienari.
TAaple Leaves floating on the Jatsuta
he took a long sheet of paper and with a broad
line to
symbolize the
he took a rooster and dipped the painting.
of the
The shape
its
river.
After
feet in red paint
and
this let
was it
finished,
walk across
of the rooster's tracks corresponded with
8
by Hokusai's
those of maple leaves, and Ienari was startled
The same feminine
ideal that so fascinated
forty continued to occupy his
mind during
originality.
Hokusai when he was
and
his fifties
sixties, as
can be seen in his painting Courtesan ^Making a TJew year's Visit (Fig.
him
5).
His daughter, Oei, was very kind and of great solace to After her divorce from Yanagigawa Shigenobu,
in his later years.
home and
her father's pupil, she returned to her family
There has even been some speculation model.
He had
as to
cared for him.
whether she served
turned to using the names Taito and
Iitsu in
as his
1811,
and there appeared an increasing tension and almost explosive nervousThis was especially noticeable
ness about his line. fabrics
made
of crepe.
It
portrayal of
in his
almost served as a warning indication of the
severe attack of palsy which was to strike the painter in 1829.
even
But
not slacken his stubborn devotion to his art; he cured
this did
himself and continued to paint for another two decades.
Debt constantly plagued Hokusai, and
he was always
as a result
on the move. In the eighty-nine years that he
lived,
have changed
He was quite offspring. One grand-
in particular
was
him out of debt.
for the artist's continuous financial lack of interest in
He
money.
A
more important reason
embarrassment was
threatened, he just artist,
his
moved
complete
his zeal.
If
it
on.
Hokusai recorded
mind. In
his
loved and was married to his art;
economics was not permitted to intrude or dampen
and through
reported to
and Hokusai spent much
a cause of great sorrow,
of his earnings in assisting
As an
is
his residence at least ninety-three times.
obviously concerned about his family and their son
he
1
81 4 the
all
first
that passed before his eyes
of his
TAanga (Sketch Books)
appeared, and his paintings, prints, and sketches followed suit in representing every facet of
life.
He produced
Miscellaneous Studies (Fig. 9) variety of sea
many
life
that
abounds
in
screens such as
which he
in the
of the legends of the land.
handscrolls such as the
He
skillfully
waters off Japan, as well as also
commenced producing
Jhe Jwelve ^Months, Six Views
9
portrayed the
oj the
Jama
River,
and Country Scenes.
These provided him with
which to represent nature
and
as
he saw
was during
It
it.
Most
his venerable age.
of the paintings he produced from the mid-
1830's were inscribed with his age, such as his
now
which was produced
The
.
Gakyo
now known
later years. felt
One
which can be found
summaries
in
Towards
of drawings, but
lives
his evaluation of his
is
He
oj Juji).
six,
wrote
have had
I
the age of fifty
am
I
etc.
Consequently,
of things; at one
which
I
at the
was
It
age of eighty,
hundred
from
line
who may
live as
Hokusai,
now Gakyo
long as
I
mania for drawing the
I
published a very large
at the
of the fourth goal of one
I
if
Rojin (The in the
brush I
will
keep
Old
age of seventy-three
hundred and ten years of
1
a decidedly higher
be
alive.
call
on those
about Painting)
."
849 on the eighteenth day
physically did not achieve his
life,
one of the master draftsmen of
10
I
word. Signed, formerly
his
work has
every dot and every line from his brush remain alive his skill as
fish, plants,
one hundred and ten
Man Mad
year
month and, although he
my
I
have got to the bottom
shall
at the age of
my
to see
This great master died
own work
a
have attained
shall
I
cannot define, and
every dot and every
until
:
nearly mastered the real nature and form of birds,
I
on
with everything which
dissatisfied
produced before the age of seventy. that
to
note written at the end of the fugaku
his
"Ever since the age of
level
produced lead one
that he
on the world was great and
left
Uyakkei [One Hundred Views
number
26-29) date
(Figs.
out.
of the finest
forms of objects.
One hundred Poems
Wet-nurse
The hundreds
The mark Hokusai today.
Man Mad
an urgency to transfer everything to paper before
on earth ran
his years
He
1849.
life,
(The Old
Rojin
of the series
oj the Piaster Poets as Related by a
conclude that he
'Wood Qatberer
majority of his sketches and drawings, including
the eighty-nine designs
from these
A
year of his
in the last
also often signed himself
about Painting)
his late seventies
he became extremely conscious and justly proud of
eighties that
(Fig. 8),
on
a larger format
all
time.
in
survived, and
testimony of
CHRONOLOGY 1760
Born
in the
mura
family.
ninth
month
at
Honjo, Warigesui,
in
maker
Edo
1763
Adopted
1773
Apprenticed to an unknown engraver of
1778
Entered the studio of Katsukawa Shunsho as
1779
The name Shunro bestowed upon
1785
Departed from Shunsho's studio.
1792
Shunsho
1793
Studied the Kano style of painting with Kano Yusen.
1795
Used
the
name
1798
Used
the
name Hokusai.
Used
the
many
prints.
1800
into the family of
Nakajima
Ise, a
wood
into the
Kawa-
of mirrors.
blocks.
a pupil.
him.
died.
Sori.
name Gakyojin (The Man Mad about
Daruma
Otowa Gorokuji Temple
1804
Painted large picture of
1805
Used the name Gakyo Rojin (The Old
1807
Quarreled with the noted novelist Bakin.
1811
Used the name Taito.
1812
Visited the
1814
First
Kyoto
at the
Published
Painting).
Man Mad
in
Edo.
about Painting).
region.
volume of the fifteen-volume
of
set
'Manga
(Sketch
Books)
published.
1817
Revisited picture of
Kyoto region and stopped Daruma.
the
name
at
Nagoya
1820
Used
1823
Began work on the noted Jhirty-six Views of Juji print
1829
Suffered a severe attack of palsy.
1833
Commenced
1834
The
the
to
paint large
Iitsu.
series.
placing his age on his paintings.
illustrated
book
A Hundred
Views
of 7uji published.
Moved
to
Uraga.
1839
The
print series titled
One Hundred Poems
of
ihe ^Master Poets as
Related by a Wet-nurse begun.
1849
Died on the eighteenth day of the fourth month. His tomb in Tokyo at Seikyoji Temple in Asakusa, Nagayumi Cho.
1
1
is
located
12
1.
13
Mount
Fuji
14
15
18
19
20
22
23
24
25
29
0'(-513
30
26. Junii Ietaka
OH-'
Poets as Related by a Wkt-nursi:
31
28.
Jakurkn Hoshi
32
tr,
ro
37
36.
The Callicraphkr
04
2,vh-
Lord Baltimore Press
IN
HONOR OF THE TWO HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF
THE BIRTH OF HOKUSAI AND THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OF UNITED STATES- JAPANESE DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS
THE FREER GALLERY OF ART OF
THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION PRESENTS
SELECTED
WORKS BY
KATSUSHIKA HOKUSAI (1760-1849)
WASHINGTON I960
GALLERY
IV.
WEST CORRIDOR. Screens
Paintings
98.110
Mount
04.135
Fuji
Ink and color on
Ink and color on
silk
00.47
The Thunder God
04.142
Six-fold screen, pair with 02.49
Six-fold screen, pair with 04.180
66Txl2'2|"
71"xl2' 4j"
Legendary Figures
and
Ink and color on paper
Ink, color
48$"xl9i"
15ft" x 67"
04.210 02.49
gt
Country Scenes
and gold on paper
Ink, color,
66|" x Cherry Blossom Viewing Ink and color on 1411" x 2518"
04.177
A
silk
and
03.143
A
Six
02.42
Color,
on paper Two-fold screen Right half:
Miscellaneous Studies
Left half:
Ink and color on paper
and gold and
ink,
Views of
Ink, color,
Pomegranates
the
Tama
A
A 04.214
The
68|"xl2' 5i"
12ft"
silvi
A
x8f
to
Dust
Sake Bout Ink on paper 10ft" x 15"
Picnic Party
Ink and color on paper
I6ft"x3l" I6$"x31"
Calligrapher
Ink and color on paper
Maid Preparing Ink on paper 9" 128" X
718" x lift"
River
and gold on paper
Six-fold screen, pair with 04.205
58ft" x 92$"
(Each half) 27|"x3l|"
Ink on paper
1218" x 9ft"
Picnic Party
Ink and color on paper
Miscellaneous Fans
Two-fold screen
Miscellaneous Figure
Ink and color on papei
Miscellaneous Scenes
04.178
Buddhist Image
7018" x 12' 5" 04.211
g>
Two-fold screen 64" x 65ft"
Ink and color on paper
a
Six-fold screen, pair with 04.179
Six-fold screen, pair with 03.144
02.3
10$" x I4f'
Ink and color on paper
Shinto Ritual Color, ink
Ink on paper
15ft" x8|"
Ink and color on paper
2|"
12'
Drawings Peasant and Noble
Ink and color on papa
Burning
The Twelve Months
Six-fold screen, pair with 02.48
02.2
Courtesan
Ink and color on paper
and gold on paper
Ink, color,
Drawings 04.73
,
35i"xllft"
14V'x20tV'
Screens
The Twelve Months
Country Scenes
Fudo
04.205
Six
Views of
the
Tama
River
Six-fold screen, pair with 03-143
Ink, color,
58ft" x92|"
Six-fold screen, pair with 04.204
688" *
and gold on paper
04.215
A
Cloth Merchant
Ink and color on paper
Boy with a Flute Ink on paper
41"* 61"
1018" x 8ft"
12' 5"
10j"x45' 5i" 04.181
02.254
Ink and color on
New
Two-fold
New
Year's Ritual
Ink and color on
A Wood
04.220
° 6 233 -
screen, pair with
and gold on paper
Landscape:
Mount
Fuji
and Eno06.234
Landscapes of the Four Seasons
Ink and color on paper
Ink, color,
his
Strength
Ink and color on papei
Ink on paper
7ft" X 10ft"
12|"x6J"
Two-fold screen, pair with 04.175 64J" x 62£"
Six-fold screen, pair with 06.233
Miscellaneous Studies
Girl and
Cat
Ink and color on pap.
Ink on paper
6i"x9ft"
9ft" x 7f*
and gold on paper
71"xl5' 3J"
1.232
Man
and Boy
Ink on paper
40ft" xl5i"
silk
Theatrical Character
71ft" x 15' 38"
shima
silk
A
Six-fold screen, pair with 06.334
04.221 silk
Court Ladies Ink and color on
Landscapes of the Four Seasons Ink, color,
04.176
Gatherer
Ink and color on 44|" x 15ft"
silk
04.184 03.53
Shojo— A Drunkard Proving
and Eno-
64J"x62"
Year's Ritual
Ink and color on 45ft" x 17|"
Fuji
Ink and color on paper
44$" x 15ft"
silk
Mount
shima
x 18J" 04.182
03.52
Landscape:
Fisherman Ink and color on silk
Crustacea
23f
A
1214"
x8H"
Horses Ink on paper
14ft" x 10ft"
45*" x 17ft" 04.188
03.109
A
Ferry Boat
The
Two Women Six Master Poets
1.233
Ink and color on paper
Ink and color on 33ft" x 1611"
silk
Laborers
Ink on paper 9ft" x 1218"
12j"x22ft
Ink on paper
125"
Various
03.128
05.276
Courtesan Writing Color, ink
and gold on
Courtesan
04.234
49|" x 18ft"
54.119
Courtesan Making a
Ink and color on paper
Ink, color
2718" x 9ft"
44" x 168"
New
and gold on
The Lion Dance Ink on paper 10|"x 1418"
Ink and color on paper
silk
3418" x 12ft"
03.129
Waves
Year Visit silk
04.241
Tuning the Samist
x 9ft"
Studies
including
Portrait
Ink on paper 13" x 918"
Summer Sake
Sippers
Ink on paper
Ink on paper
98" x 8}"
98"xl2|"
a Self-
—
—
WEST CORRIDOR.
Drawings
Drawings 04.273
07.553
Travelers
Ink on paper
The Poems as
of
One Hundred
Poets
Related by a Wet-nurse
Ki no Tomonori
12i"x9i"
Ink on paper 14|" x 10"
04.274
Miscellaneous Figures
Ink on paper 13" x 9|"
07.558
The Poems as
04.277
Summer
Poets
Ink on paper 14|" x 10"
12|"x9i"
Woodsmen
07.572
Ink on paper
121" x
One Hundred
Ekei Hoshi
Relaxation
Ink on paper
04.278
of
Related by a Wet-nurse
The Poems as
H"
of
One Hundred
Poets
Related by a Wet-nurse
Shun'e Hoshi Ink on paper
04.279
Seated
Man
Ink on paper
4ft" x 6i"
07.574
The Poems as
04.413
A
Spirit
from the Hyaku Monoga-
as
of
One Hundred
Poets
07.575
as
of
One Hundred
Bun'ya no Yasuhide
One Hundred
Poets
Ink on paper 14|" x 10"
Poets
Related by a Wet-nurse
Ink on paper I4f " x 10"
of
Related by a Wet-nurse
Shikishi Naishinno
Kisen Hoshi
The Poems
The Poems as
Related by a Wet-nurse
Ink on paper I4f " x 10"
07.551
Poets
Jakuren Hoshi
Ink on paper 12J" x 10"
The Poems
One Hundred
Ink on paper 14|- " x 10"
tari
07.548
of
Related by a Wet-nurse
07.579
The Poems as
of
One Hundred
Poets
Related by a Wet-nurse
Junii Ietaka
Ink on paper 144" x 10"
I
HOKUSAI CHRONOLOGY 1760
Born in the ninth month
ca.
1763
Adopted
ca.
1773
Apprenticed to an unknown engraver of wood blocks.
1778
Entered the studio of Katsukawa Shunsho as a pupil.
1779
The name Shunro was bestowed upon him.
at
into the family of
Honjo, Warigesui, in Edo into the Kawamura family.
Nakajima
a
Ise,
maker of mirrors.
1785
Departed from Shunsh5's studio.
1792
ShunshS died.
1793
Studied the
1795
Used the name
1798
Used the name Hokusai.
1800
Used the name GakySjin (The Man Mad about Painting). Published many
Kano
with Kano Yusen.
style of painting
Sori.
Daruma
Otowa Gorokuji Temple
1804
Painted large picture of
1805
Used the name GakyS RSjin (The Old Man Mad about Painting).
1807
Quarreled with the noted novelist Bakin.
1811
Used the name Taito.
1812
Visited the Kyoto region.
at the
volume of the fifteen-volume
Manga
1814
First
1817
Revisited the Kyoto region and stopped at
set
of
prints.
in Edo.
(Sketch Books) published.
Nagoya
to paint large picture of
1820
Used the name
1823
Began work on the noted
1829
Suffered a severe attack of palsy.
1833
Commenced
1834
The
illustrated book,
1839
The
print series titled
1849
Hokusai died on the eighteenth day of the fourth month. Tokyo at Seikyoji Temple in Asakusa, Nagazumi Cho.
Daruma.
Iitsu.
Thirty-six
Views of Fuji print
series.
placing his age on his paintings.
A
Hundred Views
of Fuji, published.
One Hundred Poems
Moved
to
Uraga.
of the Master Poets as Related by a
Wet-nurse begun. His tomb
is
located in
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