Een serie van schelpen

About this artwork

collector's mark, verso, stamped: Lugt 2228

Art Historical Context

**Een serie van schel (A Series of Shells)** *Totoya Hokkei, 1821* *Nishikie woodblock with metallic pigments and blind, 205 × 178 mm* Step into the delicate world of Edo-period Japan with Totoya Hokkei's *Een serie van schel*, a charming nishikie print from 1821. Hokkei, a skilled pupil the legendary Katsushika Hokusai, was a master of ukiyo-e—the "pictures of the floating world" captured everyday beauty with vibrant flair. This intimate work, likely a surimono (luxury private print), depicts a series of seashells, celebrating nature's intricate forms during Japan's vibrant late Edo era,...

About the Artist

Totoya Hokkei · 1780–1850

Totoya Hokkei (魚屋 北渓, 1780–1850), born Iwakubo Tatsuyuki in Edo (modern Tokyo), began his life as a humble fishmonger in the Yotsuya Samegahashi district, a trade reflected in his art name "Totoya," meaning fish shop. He transitioned to art through rigorous training, first studying under Kanō Yōsen'in Korenobu, head of the Kobikichō branch of the prestigious Kanō school, where he honed landscape p...