忠義水滸伝画本|Picture Book of the Suikoden (The Water Margin) Loyalty (Chūgi Suikoden ehon 忠義水滸伝画本)

Art Historical Context

This open book displays two facing pages of bold woodblock illustrations rendered in ink with touches of color. On the left, three armored warriors in dynamic poses fill the frame—one seated with a fan, flanked by companions gripping swords—while the right page shows a leaping figure brandishing arrows and spears amid swirling lines that suggest movement and tension. Japanese text labels identify the characters, all framed neatly within the printed borders of aged paper. Created by Katsushika Hokusai in 1829 during the Edo period, *Picture Book of the Suikoden (The Water Margin) Loyalty* adapts episodes from the classic Chinese novel into accessible Japanese imagery. Hokusai’s energetic line work brings the legendary outlaws and their exploits to life, reflecting his skill in capturing action within the compact format of a woodblock-printed book. As an illustrated volume now in the Metropolitan Museum’s collection, the work highlights Hokusai’s contribution to popular storytelling through print. It invites viewers to explore themes of loyalty and heroism that resonated widely in nineteenth-century Japan.

About the Artist

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

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