Hawk, from The Picture Book of Realistic Paintings of Hokusai (Hokusai shashin gafu)
c. 1814
Medium
Color woodblock print (album sheet)
Dimensions
33.8 × 22 cm (13 5/16 × 8 11/16 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
33395
Art Historical Context
Katsushika Hokus (1760–1849), one of Japan's most celebrated ukiyo-e masters, created *Hawk, from The Picture Book of Realistic Paintings of Hokusai (Hokusai shashin gafu)* around 1814. This color woodblock, measuring 33.8 × 22 cm, belongs to a rare album series where Hokusai showcased his of realistic depiction through printed media. Produced during Japan's Edo period, when wood prints flourished as affordable art for the masses, this work exemplifies Hokusai's innovative approach to blending traditional Japanese aesthetics with lifelike precision. The hawk, perched alertly, embodies Hokusai...
About the Artist
Katsushika Hokusai · 1760–1849
Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) stands as one of history's most influential artists, a Japanese master who revolutionized the ukiyo-e woodblock print tradition and profoundly shaped Western art. Born in the Katsushika district of Edo (modern-day Tokyo) to an artisan family, Hokusai lived through nearly nine decades of extraordinary creative evolution, adopting over thirty different artistic names t...