Katsushika Hokusai
(1760-1849)
Katsushika Hokusai, a Japanese artist, a ukiyo-e painter and printmaker of the Edo period, was born in 1760 Edo (now Tokyo). At the age of 12, he was sent by his father to work in a bookshop and lending library. At 14, he became an apprentice to a wood-carver, where he worked until the age of 18. Then he studied under Katsukawa Shunko (1726—1792). In 1779 Hokusai created a number of good theatre portraits. In 1793 and 1794 the artist began to create his own style – surimono. His pictures, painted in this style, were admired by everybody. Other artists began to paint in surimino style. Hokusai had a lot of pseudonyms. The artist became extremely popular under the name of Katsushika Hokusai. He took this pseudonym in 1796. In 1812 Hokusai made friends with the artist Bokusen. Hokusai is best-known as the author of the woodblock print series “Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji”, which includes the iconic and internationally recognized print, “The Great Wave off Kanagawa”, created during the 1820s. In the beginning of the 1830 he created the paintings of waterfalls, birds, bridges and ghosts. In 1839 there was a fire in his studio and all his sketches and working materials were burnt . Hokusai died on May 10, 1849 in Edo.
