Sunrise over Sumida River

About this artwork

collector's mark, verso, stamped: Lugt 2973

Art Historical Context

**Sunrise over Sumida** (1797) by Katsushika Hokus captures the serene beauty of Edo-period Japan through a masterful ukiyo-e woodblock print. This nishikie, or "brocade picture," exemplifies the vibrant, multi-color printing technique that made Japanese prints so coveted worldwide. Measuring just 131mm high by 259mm wide—a compact hosoban format—it invites intimate contemplation, with a collector's mark (Lugt 2973) on the verso attesting to its esteemed provenance. Hokusai, a pioneering figure in ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world"), produced this early landscape during his formative y...

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...