The Lobster
c. 1800 - c. 1810
Medium
nishikie
Dimensions
511; 184
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Bruikleen van de Koninklijke Vereniging van Vrienden der Aziatische Kunst (legaat Westendorp-Osieck, 1968)
Art Historical Context
Behold *The Lobster*, a captivating nishikie woodblock by the legendary Japanese artist Katsushika Hai, created around 1800–1810. Measuring just 184 mm high by 511 mm wide, this horizontal composition exemplifies the intimate scale of ukiyo-e prints from Japan's Edo period (1603–1868). Hokusai, a master of this "pictures of the floating world" genre, was already renowned for his dynamic depictions of nature, everyday life, and the ephemeral beauty of the world. Nishikie, or "brocade pictures," refers to luxurious polychrome woodblock prints achieved through meticulous carving of multiple blocks—one for each color—and precise hand-rubbing with pigments. This technique allowed Hokusai to render the lobster's textured shell, glistening form, and subtle environmental details with astonishing vibrancy and realism. Produced during Hokusai's prolific early career, before masterpieces like *The Great Wave off Kanagawa* (c. 1831), it showcases his innovative use of line, pattern, and color to bring marine life to vivid, almost tangible life. In Japanese culture, such seafood motifs often symbolized abundance and good fortune, especially in New Year's prints (surimono). This generous loan from the Koninklijke Vereniging van Vrienden der Aziatische Kunst (Westendorp-Osieck bequest, 1968) invites us to appreciate Hokusai's enduring influence on global art, blending technical brilliance with poetic observation of the natural world.
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...