The Lobster
c. 1800 - c. 1810
Medium
nishikie
Dimensions
511; 184
About this artwork
Bruikleen van de Koninklijke Vereniging van Vrienden der Aziatische Kunst (legaat Westendorp-Osieck, 1968)
Art Historical Context
Behold *The Lobster*, a captivating nishikie woodblock by the legendary Japanese artist Katsushika Hai, created around 1800–1810. Measuring just 184 mm high by 511 mm wide, this horizontal composition exemplifies the intimate scale of ukiyo-e prints from Japan's Edo period (1603–1868). Hokusai, a master of this "pictures of the floating world" genre, was already renowned for his dynamic depictions of nature, everyday life, and the ephemeral beauty of the world. Nishikie, or "brocade pictures," refers to luxurious polychrome woodblock prints achieved through meticulous carving of multiple bloc...
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...