Transmitting the Spirit, Revealing the Form of Things: Hokusai Sketchbooks, volume 9 (Denshin kaishu: Hokusai manga, kyūhen)
Medium
Woodblock printed book; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
Overall: 9 × 6 1/4 × 3/8 in. (22.9 × 15.9 × 1 cm)
Classification
Illustrated Books
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1931
Accession Number
JIB81.9
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of Edo-period Japan with *Transmitting the Spirit, Revealing the Form of Things Hokusai Sketchbooks volume 9* (1819), a gem from master artist Katsushika Hokus. Part of his legendary *Hokusai Manga* series, this woodblock-printed book bursts with dynamic sketches capturing everyday life, nature, and fantastical scenes—from playful animals and expressive figures to intricate patterns. Hokusai, a towering figure in ukiyo-e (pictures of the floating world), produced these "random sketches" as an endless fountain of inspiration, reflecting his belief in transmitting art...
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...