2020 marks the 260th anniversary of the birth of the world-renown Edo period ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849). When hearing his name, people usually first think of his landscape woodblock print series “Thirty-six Views of Mt. Fuji,” as well as printed materials such as “Hokusai Manga”（Hokusai’s Sketches）, a brush drawing manuals that influenced European artists. However, it appears that the outstanding original paintings (as opposed to prints) he enthusiastically worked on throughout his approximately seventy-year career are not very well-known.
This museum’s collection includes ten original paintings that span from when Hokusai was in his forties to his later years. These include “A Summer Morning” and “Night Attack at the Horikawa Residence,” some of his most famous works. This exhibition will approach this exceptional talent from a variety of angles. Not only will it bring together all of these works for the first time, it will also feature his major woodblock prints (“Thirty-six Views of Mt. Fuji”) and woodblock print book (“Hokusai Manga”), as well as the art of Émile Gallé, a French glass artist who was influenced by Hokusai.
Original bijin-ga (beautiful women paintings) by other ukiyo-e artists will also be on special display. Visitors are invited to enjoy the fascinating world of ukiyo-e original paintings.