Known for iconic paintings like ‘The Great Wave of Kanagawa’ and ‘Red Fuji’, Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) is regarded as one of the most well-known Ukiyo-e artists from the late Edo period (from 1603 to 1868).
Translated as ‘pictures of the floating world’, Ukiyo-e art is characterised by its stylised depictions of the hedonistic lifestyle of Japan’s chōnin class. Hokusai’s work was transformational for its era, first being rooted in erotic depictions of geishas and striking portraits of kabuki actors and sumo wrestlers before transitioning to contrasting imagery of rural Japan.
Working with paint and woodblock printing as his primary disciplines and creating layers of vibrant pigments allowed Hokusai to master the five traditional elements of Shintoism (Water, Wood, Fire, Metal, and Earth).
Most of Hokusai’s most iconic artworks pay homage to all the elements of the natural world, from depictions of Mount Fuji and simple landscapes to scenes of Japanese wildlife.
Hokusai’s ‘The Great Wave of Kanagawa’ is considered to be one of the artist’s most iconic works, perfectly encapsulating all the characteristics that make Katsushika Hokusai art prints still so in-demand today. With the piece’s balance of sweeping angular lines and a natural flow of movement, Hokusai’s art style presents a timelessness that influenced global perceptions of the Ukiyo-e movement both historically as well as today.
This same universality of the built and natural worlds, and the past and present can be found in Hokusai’s iconic erotic artwork ‘The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife’, which depicts a young ama diver entwined sexually with two octopuses. The ethereal embrace exists in a dreamscape, colliding surrealist elements with creatures of the world we know: the world of man and all of man’s own contradictions and desires.
Hanging the works of Hokusai in your home can present your own interiors with a cohesion between history and the contemporary world, tying together the natural elements that facilitate the flow of time and the evolution of style. No matter where we find ourselves, we will always be inspired by the natural world and all of its inhabitants.
Hokusai’s drawings can greatly compliment a wide range of different interior design schemes, from minimalist homes to Japandi interiors and even eclectic Bohemian spaces. The cultural and aesthetic value of this Japanese style wall art makes Hokusai prints a compelling choice to adorn your living room walls.
Inspire a melding of the past and present, the city and the country, and the sheer depth of man with the energy and flow of nature by adding original Katsushika Hokusai art prints to your home today.
You can choose the right Hokusai art print for your home based on colour, art style, or composition. From Japanese-style patterned prints to minimalist woodblock prints and romantic scenery and portraiture, our range of Katsushika Hokusai art prints has a little something for everyone.
Our giclée prints are printed with quality water-based inks on 240gsm matte art paper for exceptional durability. You can care for your Hokusai art prints by choosing FSC certified and 100% acid-free wood frames and hanging them in spaces where they’re unlikely to be exposed to harsh direct sunlight.
Have your Hokusai prints become desaturated? Don’t worry – our lifetime print guarantee ensures that our printing specialists will replace your Hokusai art prints if they fade prematurely.
Add some iconic Japanese art to your home by shopping our full range of Katsushika Hokusai art prints here at Inka Arthouse.
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