Katsushika Hokusai was a Japanese artist during the 18th and 19th centuries who is known for woodblock printing, “Ukiyo-e” painting, and manga art. What is unique about him is his interest in the “relationship between light and natural phenomena” and how he captured “the moods of nature and the atmospheric conditions of the different seasons and weather” (Hane 39). His most well known piece is “Mount Fuji Seen Below a Wave at Kanagawa” which is part of his series of woodblock prints known as the “Thirty Six Views of Mount Fuji.” His pieces were astoundingly popular during the Edo period (after his death aswell), but what I personally found interesting is that his pieces are still popular now. How is it that artwork from 18th and 19th century
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Woodblock printing is a process where the image is first carved onto a wooden block and then tediously printed in layers of different pigments. With Chinese woodblock printing, the pigments are all monochromatic. However, Japanese woodblock prints have improved upon the Chinese tactics by adding color to the once monochromatic linework. The art of woodblock printing requires a lot of patience and an eye for details. The image of the “Mount Fuji Seen Below a Wave at Kanagawa” depicts a variation of lines in an “Ukiyo-e” style. The linework of this piece is simple in theory. The lines are all thin, but by proximity they relay shading, tone, and value. Upon closer inspection of the edge of the wave, we can see that the lines are very intricate. The linework on the boats are, also, very intricate. They are not intricate on their own, surely, but they are intricate because of how difficult it is to create non linear art when carving into wood. Wood is a very complex medium — imagine trying to rip a piece of paper against the grain. The tear never goes exactly the way you want it to. It is difficult to have full control when you are working with a medium that has grain. When Western travelers came in contact with Hokusai’s art (long after his own death), they realized the technical skill behind the pieces (as well as the beauty in …show more content…
Now, this isn’t to say that Japanese art and products did not make their way outside the country. Every good barrel has a hole where water leaks out. This being said, the Western world could not engage in any legitimate trade with Japan. The land of the rising sun was shrouded in secrecy — the nation’s culture, nature, and language were hidden away from the Western world, and like any child with a forbidden cookie jar, there had to be a way in. While Commodore Matthew Perry had forcibly entered Japan in 1853 in order to “open new markets for [...] manufactured goods” and countries for which “to supply raw materials for” much of Japan’s culture and art migrated as well (Asia For Educators). The Ukiyo-e style is uniquely Japanese. It takes influence in part by Chinese art, yes, but it is still uniquely Japanese. While woodblock printing “was [...] not new in Tokugawa times” as the “Chinese had used it for centuries” prior, the distinction is that “Japanese wood blocks [had] color” (Morton 134). The landscapes shown in Hokusai’s later art depicted nature that displayed the best and most beautiful parts of Japan. Thirty six beautiful views of the same stratovolcano that had never been seen to the Western world. Scenes of vivacious
Woodblock printing is a process where the image is first carved onto a wooden block and then tediously printed in layers of different pigments. With Chinese woodblock printing, the pigments are all monochromatic. However, Japanese woodblock prints have improved upon the Chinese tactics by adding color to the once monochromatic linework. The art of woodblock printing requires a lot of patience and an eye for details. The image of the “Mount Fuji Seen Below a Wave at Kanagawa” depicts a variation of lines in an “Ukiyo-e” style. The linework of this piece is simple in theory. The lines are all thin, but by proximity they relay shading, tone, and value. Upon closer inspection of the edge of the wave, we can see that the lines are very intricate. The linework on the boats are, also, very intricate. They are not intricate on their own, surely, but they are intricate because of how difficult it is to create non linear art when carving into wood. Wood is a very complex medium — imagine trying to rip a piece of paper against the grain. The tear never goes exactly the way you want it to. It is difficult to have full control when you are working with a medium that has grain. When Western travelers came in contact with Hokusai’s art (long after his own death), they realized the technical skill behind the pieces (as well as the beauty in …show more content…
Now, this isn’t to say that Japanese art and products did not make their way outside the country. Every good barrel has a hole where water leaks out. This being said, the Western world could not engage in any legitimate trade with Japan. The land of the rising sun was shrouded in secrecy — the nation’s culture, nature, and language were hidden away from the Western world, and like any child with a forbidden cookie jar, there had to be a way in. While Commodore Matthew Perry had forcibly entered Japan in 1853 in order to “open new markets for [...] manufactured goods” and countries for which “to supply raw materials for” much of Japan’s culture and art migrated as well (Asia For Educators). The Ukiyo-e style is uniquely Japanese. It takes influence in part by Chinese art, yes, but it is still uniquely Japanese. While woodblock printing “was [...] not new in Tokugawa times” as the “Chinese had used it for centuries” prior, the distinction is that “Japanese wood blocks [had] color” (Morton 134). The landscapes shown in Hokusai’s later art depicted nature that displayed the best and most beautiful parts of Japan. Thirty six beautiful views of the same stratovolcano that had never been seen to the Western world. Scenes of vivacious