Hokusai’s artistic career
Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) was one of Japan’s most prolific and versatile artists, whose work in various media such as woodcut, painting and book illustration is impressive. His oeuvre is divided into six phases in this edition, which correspond to his changing artist names. From the early portraits of actors to the famous landscape series, a constant development and love of experimentation can be seen, which characterise his unique style. The book is not only devoted to his well-known works, but also analyses his artistic methods and his lasting influence on pupils and contemporaries.
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Historical and cultural background
Hokusai’s life’s work is closely linked to the social and political structure of the Tokugawa shogunate, which created the basis for a stable and culturally rich society. The relative isolation of Japan and the flourishing urban culture provided the framework for art forms such as ukiyo-e, to which Hokusai’s works also belong. The economic rise of the merchants made it possible to distribute affordable colour woodblock prints, which often depicted everyday life and landscapes of the time and thus became accessible to a wide audience. Hokusai’s works reflect these developments, provide an insight into Japanese culture in the 18th and 19th centuries and at the same time document the social changes of this era.
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Authenticity as a challenge
The book takes a critical approach to attributions of Katsushika Hokusai’s works and excludes works that may have been created by his students or forgers. The exact distinction between Hokusai’s own hand and the influence of his workshop remains difficult, but is comprehensively analysed and carefully documented. The question of authenticity is also examined in the context of the international art market and its tendency towards commercialisation, which opens up new perspectives on well-known works. At the same time, it is shown how the handling of forgeries and imitations has influenced the perception of Hokusai’s work. The result is a differentiated picture that acknowledges Hokusai’s influence without idealising or exaggerating it.
© Taschen Verlag
A work from a new perspective
With the documentation of over 7,000 works and the presentation of 800 selected works, the book offers a comprehensive overview of Hokusai’s oeuvre and traces the development of his unmistakable and versatile style. It combines art historical research with a precise analysis of the cultural contexts and influences that significantly shaped his work. It offers the opportunity to view Hokusai’s works in their historical context, to reclassify their significance and to identify parallels with the present day. In the process, it becomes clear how diverse and formative his artistic legacy has remained for art history.
Data
| Original title | Hokusai |
| Editor | Benedikt Taschen |
| Author | Andreas Marks |
| Publisher | Taschen Verlag |
| Cover | Hardcover, with ribbon marker |
| Pages | 722 |
| Language | German, English, French |
| Dimensions | 29 x 39.5 cm |
| ISBN | 978-3-8365-9188-1 |
| Price | 175 € |
Further information
Further information on the book “Hokusai” (advertising) can be found on the Taschen Verlag website.
Compliance
The book was kindly made available to us by the publisher. The presentation and rating of HYPERMADE remains independent of this and is based solely on the content of the book.