Hokusai
A Life Etched in Ink: The World of Katsushika Hokusai Katsushika Hokusai, a name synonymous with Japanese art and the instantly recognizable image of *The Great Wave off Kanagawa*, was far more than just a printmaker. Born in Edo (modern-day Tokyo) around 1760, his life unfolded as an intensely restless pursuit of artistic mastery – a continuous evolution marked by shifting names and an insatiable curiosity about the world around him. From humble beginnings as the son of a mirror maker, Hokusai’s early inclination towards art wasn't immediately encouraged; yet, he relentlessly honed his ski…
The Subject Atlas
A chart of Hokusai's corpus mapped not by date but by subject. Spokes are what they painted; rings are when; and the threads between stars reveal the patrons and places that secretly connect them.
Spokes — Subject
Each arm of the atlas gathers works by what they depict: portraits, sacred scenes, mythologies, and the scientific studies. Click a spoke to swing that cluster to the top.
Rings — Career Period
Distance from the center marks time. The innermost ring is the earliest period; the outermost, the final years. Style matures as you move outward.
Threads — Shared Context
Coloured lines link works bound by the same patron, commission, or theme. Trace a context to watch related clusters light up across subjects.
