Hokusai and Hiroshige

Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) and Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) are both two particularly famous Edo period Ukiyo-e artists.

Hokusai was a unique artist with many episodes. He generously published several instructional books on Ukiyo-e techniques that were passed down from master to apprentice without being published outside the school (*1), changed his honorific name, which he was grateful to receive from his master, 30 times in his lifetime (*2), and moved 93 times (*3).
In contrast, Hiroshige, who was 37 years younger than Hokusai, never changed his pseudonym (*4) and never published any instructional books. The preface to "One-Hundred View of Mt. Fuji" (1859) is said to have been created in competition with Hokusai's "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji" (1831-33), and his rivalry with Hokusai is evident in the preface. (*5)

Hokusai : Ryakuga Haya Oshie Volume 1 (1812)

*1 Ryakuga Haya Oshie (abbreviated drawing quick instructions), 1st (1812) and 2nd (1814) volume set.

Using a ruler and compass, this book teaches how to successfully draw pictures based on triangles, squares, and circles. It is surprising that compasses existed in the Edo period.

*2 Pseudonym
It is said that he sold his pseudonym to his disciples as a source of income.

age 20, 春朗 (Shunro): Studied Western-style painting and other schools without his master's knowledge, and was excommunicated.

age 36, 宗理 (Sori): He painted mostly by hand and was strongly influenced by Western-style painting.

age 45, 北斎 (Hokusai): It is said to have been named after the Nichiren sect's belief, or to stand for "stupid (slang)".

age 50, 戴斗 (Taito) : Published "Hokusai manga".

age 60, 為一 (Iitsu): Published "Thirty-six Views of Mt. Fuji".

age 75 画狂老人卍 (Gakyo-Roujin-Manji, = Mad old painter Swastika): Published "One hundred views of Mt. Fugaku"

The reason why he became commonly known as "Hokusai" even though he changed his pseudonym many times after "Hokusai" is because he signed his name "Name changed from Hokusai to Taito" after making a name for himself as "Hokusai.

*3 Moved 93 times
It is said that he moved every time his painting materials/garbage were scattered.

HIroshige 1st : One-Hundred View of Mt. Fuji, Preface p.7

*4. Five Hiroshige.

Hiroshige the 1st published "The Fifty-three Stages of the Tokaido" and "The First Hundred Views of Mt.Fuji".

He handed down his pseudonym to his top disciple, and the name "Utagawa Hiroshige" continued for five generations.

*5 "One-Hundred View of Mt. Fuji" (1859)

In the preface to the book, Hiroshige wrote,
"Unlike Hokusai, who painted only interesting pictures and depicted Fuji as a supporting character, but I, unlike Hokusai, painted realistic Fuji."

The rivalry is clear.

Click the image on the left to link to the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse