諸職絵本葛飾新鄙形)|Picture Book of New Designs for the Various Crafts (Shōshoku ehon Katsushika shin hinagata 諸職絵本葛飾新鄙形)

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of Edo-period Japan with Katsushika Hokusai's *Picture Book of New for the Various Crafts*Shōshoku ehon Katsushika shin hin), published in the first month of 1836 (Tenpō 7). Hokusai, the legendary ukiyo-e master behind icons like *The Great Wave off Kanagawa*, was in his mid-70s, endlessly innovating. This woodblock-printed book, a compact 8⅞ × 6½ inches, served as a practical for artisans, offering fresh patterns (hinagata) for everyday crafts like textiles, ceramics, and lacquerware. Rendered in precise ink on paper through the collaborative woodblock process—where artists designed, carvers shaped blocks, and printers inked them—Hokusai's pages burst with dynamic motifs. Expect lively depictions of horses among other subjects, capturing the era's fascination with nature and daily life. These designs blended bold lines, harmonious colors, and imaginative compositions, hallmarks of ukiyo-e's "pictures of the floating world." Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Asian Art department, this treasure highlights Hokusai's versatility beyond famous prints. It fueled Japan's artisan economy during the Edo period (1615–1868), bridging fine art and functional craft, and remains a window into 19th-century creativity. Flip through it virtually and feel the pulse of old Tokyo!

About the Artist

Katsushika Hokusai 葛飾北斎 (Japanese) · 1760 –1849

Japanese, Tokyo (Edo) 1760–1849 Tokyo (Edo)