Hermit with a Staff
18th–19th century
Medium
Ink and color on paper
Dimensions
13 x 9 1/4 in. (33 x 23.5 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Annette Young, in memory of her brother, Innis Young, 1956
Accession Number
56.121.9
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the serene world of Edo-period Japan (1615–1868), Katsushika Hai captures the contemplative essence of a hermit clutching his staff in this intimate ink and color painting on paper. Hokusai, one of Japan's most celebrated artists, is renowned for his ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world") style, blending meticulous line work with vibrant hues to evoke everyday beauty and spiritual depth. Created in the 18th–19th century, this 13 x 9¼-inch work (33 x 23.5 cm) reflects the era's fascination with eremitic figures—solitary wanderers embodying Zen Buddhist ideals of detachment and harmony wi...
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...