Umezawa Manor in Sagami Province

Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849) was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist of extraordinary range and restless creative energy, widely regarded as one of the greatest artists in history. Born in Edo, he showed a passion for drawing from early childhood and went on to study under the master Katsukawa Shunshō, eventually developing a bold, distinctive style entirely his own. Hokusai’s career spanned over seven decades and an astonishing 30,000 works — paintings, woodblock prints, and illustrated books — produced under more than 30 different pseudonyms, each marking a new creative phase. He rose to international fame with Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji (1830–33), which included the iconic The Great Wave off Kanagawa, arguably the most recognized work of Japanese art in the world. What set Hokusai apart was his insatiable curiosity — he explored anatomy, perspective, Western artistic techniques, and the full spectrum of Japanese life, from peasants and artisans to gods and mythical creatures. His Manga sketchbooks became influential reference works for generations of artists. He remained fiercely devoted to his craft until the very end, reportedly declaring on his deathbed that five more years would have made him a truly great artist. He died at 88, leaving behind a legacy that profoundly shaped both Eastern and Western art for centuries to come.