Color woodcut, ink, paper, 23.5x30.5 cm, publisher's mark in the margin
This woodcut was originally a painting on a folding screen and depicted a large composition consisting of five cranes flying, followed by two storks. The bird looks very realistic here, even three-dimensional. Very narrow, natural feather lines are clearly visible. A lot of black and white gradations are used on the feathers and beak, perfectly reproducing the shadows, which enhances the impression of the bird floating in the air.
Hokusai Katsushika, known mainly by the name Hokusai (born October 31, 1760 in Edo (now Tokyo), died May 10, 1849 there) - one of Japan's most prominent and prolific painters and creators of color woodcuts in the ukiyo-e style. The name Katsushika Hokusai is known worldwide, but it was a pseudonym that the artist used instead of his real name, which was Kawamura Tetsuzo. When signing works, he used many (at least thirty) pseudonyms, including Shunrō, Sōri, Taito, Manji. Although it is unclear why he changed his name, some researchers believe it was to test his talent and increase sales. From an early age, Hokusai had a passion for drawing. He studied at the studio of Katsukawa Shunsho. He became known as an extremely prolific artist, a great draughtsman, landscape artist, illustrator and caricaturist. In his paintings, usually populated with a multitude of figures, he recreated Japan of the time. Among other things, he painted flowers, turtles, pheasants, roosters, one hundred poems, bridges and cascades. Persuaded by his students, he published 15 volumes of sketches and drawings entitled Manga (1814). His works had a profound influence on European Impressionists such as Claude Monet and others. His best-known work is a series of ukiyo-e woodcuts, "Thirty Views of Mount Fuji," which was created between 1826 and 1833 during the Taito period. In addition to paintings and drawings, he created illustrations for more than 500 books, some of which he wrote himself.
The woodcut is from the series "Takamizawa Publishing House's Anthology of Famous Hokusai Paintings." Takamizawa Publishing House and Woodcut Society is a Tokyo-based renowned company, active from 1933-88, founded by brothers Masuro and Tadao Takamizawa. In the mid-1950s, it began publishing a series of 49 reprints of Hokusai's prints. The series focused on charming, unusual designs that were less common. They ranged from scenes of nature and beauty to outstanding works in the "100 Views of Mount Fuji" series. Printed with attention to detail and exceptional quality, this rare series is extremely visually appealing. The ukiyo-e woodcuts have been printed several times since the Edo period, always using the traditional method. Takamizawa followed the same rigorous standards that 19th century publishers had. The best Japanese printers and carvers were employed. The resulting works are among the highest quality editions ever created.
