Hokusai: Inspiration and Influence

The great painter, book illustrator and print designer Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849) has become the best known of all Japanese artists and one of the most famous and influential artists in the world. He was a key figure for the Japonisme movement in late nineteenth-century Europe, and his iconic images―especially the color woodblock print nicknamed “The Great Wave”―are frequently referred to in present-day art in both serious and frivolous forms, from sculpture, printmaking and painting to anime and emojis.

This book looks at Hokusai from the viewpoint of fellow artists who incorporated lessons learned from him into their own work, including Hokusai’s own students, his contemporary rivals and his many posthumous admirers working in a wide range of media, in Japan and around the world, from the late 19th century to the present. Abundant illustrations accompanied by illuminating and engaging texts, this publication invites readers to explore the origins and enduring appeal of Hokusai’s delightful art.

Softcover: 166 pages

Publisher: MFA Publications, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, (May 16, 2023)

ISBN-13: 9780878468904

Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.8 x 9.9 inches