1 Welcome
Welcome to Digital × Hokusai [The Climax] Part 1 – ‘A Celebration of Hokusai’s Paintings: Paintings That Live and Breathe
Thanks to a high-definition digital remastering, The Introduction exhibition focused on the intricate horishi (sculptor) andsurishi (printer) techniques employed in “Thirty-six Views ofMount Fuji” that had been difficult to see until now. The
Development exhibition featured the new dawn sparked by
Hokusai’s and Utagawa Hiroshige’s competitive creative pursuitsand legacy, comparing “The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido”
by Utagawa against “Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji,” which
was Hokusai’s first series of scenic nishikie woodblock prints.
This was followed by the Special Exhibition, which, thanks to a
100 billion pixel digital remastering, revealed the many secrets
behind “Phoenix,” (master drawing for the ceiling painting at Ganshoin
Temple) which is Hokusai’s largest painting and one that was

shrouded in many mysteries.
In this first installment of the fourth part of this series, The
Climax, we take a look back at the legacy of “Thirty-six Views ofMount Fuji,” which has become the work most associated with
Hokusai, as well as the life of the pioneer himself, who would
later leave behind his position of a painter of ukiyoe woodblock
prints and open the door to a life as a painter of hand-painted
art works in the final years of his life. I am sure those of you who
visited the previous exhibition and those who are new will have agreat time at this one.
In addition to the master replicas from Yamanashi Prefectural
Museum and Musée d’Orsay as well as the new digital master
replicas from the Hokusai-kan Museum and the Nitori Museumof Art, this exhibition, with the use of various digital applications, makes public for the first time many surprising creative
efforts taken by Hokusai in his works, brought to light by
high-definition digital remastering technology. It is my hope that
this exhibition paints a picture of the life of Hokusai, a one-of-akind artist that should be heralded all over the world.
I would like to close this welcome message by taking thisopportunity to say a warm, heartfelt thank you to all the curators
who got onboard this project and gave their all, to Nippon
Telegraph and Telephone East Corporation for hosting the event,everyone at NTT ArtTechnology who planned and ran the
exhibition, as well as all the production staff that were involvedin the planning and production of this exhibition who worked
tirelessly to bring it to life.
Enjoy the exhibition.
Iwao Kubota, Creative Director of Digital × Hokusai

6 The suri expression in “A Mild Breeze on a Fine Day”

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1 The suri expression in “A Mild Breeze on a Fine Day”
In ukiyoe woodblock prints, Hokusai skillfully uses the characteristics of handcrafted washi (Japanese paper), which is strong,soft, and easy to work with, as well as its texture to employ awide variety of intricate techniques such as embossing andtranscribing and blurring imprinted designs. Enjoy a close lookat the outstanding techniques of this Edo artisan.

2 The soft quality of the washi is used to serve as clouds andsnow, and by thoroughly smudging the surroundings, it creates araised appearance.
3 Looking closely, there are vertical surime (outline of a printed

pattern) at the top part of Mount Fuji, making it appear as if thelight is shining down.
The rocky surface has been made prominent by using a rubbing
technique on the grain of the woodblock.

7 “Shower Below the Summit”

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1 “Shower Below the Summit”“Under the Wave off Kanagawa,” “A Mild Breeze on a Fine Day,”and “Shower Below the Summit,” which are referred to as thethree great works, are said to capture Hokusai’s ideal vision of
Mount Fuji and were not painted to specify a precise location.
One of these three great works, “Shower Below the Summit,”
also features intricate and bold artistic expression.
Hokusai’s excellent skills as a producer of art are on show here.
2 The clouds are expressed using the karazuri technique (creating
an embossed effect by applying strong pressure without any color applied to
the woodblock).

3 The qualities of the handcrafted washi are made to resemblesnow.

4 One theory claims that “Shower Below the Summit” reflects ascene in which it is just about to rain, but looking closely, black
clouds and torrential rain are expressed with spectacular surime.

8 The drama of “Viewing the Sunset over Ryogoku Bridgefrom the Onmaya Embankment”

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1 The drama of “Viewing the Sunset over Ryogoku Bridge fromthe Onmaya Embankment”“Viewing the Sunset over Ryogoku Bridge from the Onmaya
Embankment” is painted with a magic-like composition.
I wonder how many times Hokusai placed down his compass.
In the center, the large arches of the bridge and boat face eachother as if in conversation, and several small circles are dottedhorizontally as if to accompany them. Depth is given to theimage by positioning triangular shapes in front from the triangular Mount Fuji at the farthest point in the distance.
2 The people on the boat in the center have an air of tension,
with a man raising a rod in the air like a conductor and theothers spread out across the painting. The large umbrella in thecenter of the picture next to the conductor is produced with thekirazuri technique, and countless wavy lines span across the riversurface as if reverberating with them in the blink of the eye.
“Viewing the Sunset over Ryogoku Bridge from the Onmaya
Embankment” is a symphony of geometric patterns that paint a
picture of not only space but time.

9 Expressing distance and objects with artistic effect

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1 Expressing distance and objects with artistic effect

2 “The Lake at Hakone in Sagami Province” by Katsushika

Hokusai

3 “Montagne Sainte-Victoire” by Paul Cezanne
4 Background

5 Middle distance
6 Foreground

7 The technique of expressing objects with the artistic effects ofimpressionist artists (also known as “direct drawing”) has been said tobe the forte of these impressionists, with almost no attention
paid to date to the artistic expression (surime) on ukiyoe artwork.
We can tell that impressionist artists may have learned this idea
as well from ukiyoe.

⑩ The two versions of Kajikazawa and aizuri expression▪
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1 The two versions of Kajikazawa and aizuri expression
Katsushika Hokusai created two versions of “Kajikazawa in Kai
Province,” one with the aizuri (printed in shades of blue) approachand the other with tashokuzuri (multi-colored woodblock printmaking).
The aizuri on the left is the first print, and the colored version is
the second print.
The aizuri of Kajikazawa is said to be the ultimate masterpieceamong Hokusai’s aizuri creations.
Mount Fuji appears from a thick fog, on the other side ofscenery that fiercely disappears.
At the front of the picture are roaring waves.
Hokusai used a combination of an intricate foreground depiction, a blurred background, and the fog in the middle distanceto create a splendid work entirely with indigo blue.
With woodblock prints, the woodblock gradually fills up as theartist adds layers over and over again, meaning that he/she canno longer make intricate expressions.
He surely later used colors to emphasize this expression.

⑪ The secrets of “Reflection in Lake at Misaka in Kai Province”

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1 The secrets of “Reflection in Lake at Misaka in Kai Province”
2 “Reflection in Lake at Misaka in Kai Province”

3 Figure in which Mount Fuji has been changed to its actualreflection position

4 “Reflection in Lake at Misaka in Kai Province” contains an actual
representation of Mount Fuji in the summer, as well as a Mount
Fuji in the winter reflected on the water surface.
It was observed that this painting contains mysterious parts to it.
The light proceeds vertically towards the viewer. Thus, the actual
position of Mount Fuji, reflected on the water surface, should be as
the figure on the right.
It is hard to believe that Hokusai, who is said to have observed all kindsof things in Mother Nature with an artistic eye, did not know this.
It is thought that Hokusai intentionally shifted the position of theupside down Mount Fuji.
5 summer

6 winter

7 summer

8 Placing the true Mount Fuji and the inverted Mount Fuji side

by side, they connect indefinitely and the greenery continues
with a wave-like effect.
It appears to represent the passing of time.
Between the true Mount Fuji and the inverted Mount Fuji of adifferent season, there is a village that thrives on the cooled lava
remains at the foot of the mountain.
With the scenery of Mother Nature and people living their lives
along with the transition of the seasons, perhaps Hokusai wascapturing a grand theme with this work.

⑫ Painting the passing of time from a bird’s eye view

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1 Painting the passing of time from a bird’s eye view
In the last picture in the “Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji” series,
Hokusai captures the sight around the summit of Mount Fuji
from the perspective of looking down from the sky.
Within this landscape is the sight of Fujiko (a Japanese religious
group) people helping and supporting each other as they maketheir way to the top of the mountain in an exhausted fashion.

2 Hokusai brought down the curtain on this unprecedented

series by not portraying the ‘result’ of people conquering Mount
Fuji and celebrating their accomplishment, but of the ‘process’of human beings in love with Mother Nature despite being at its
very mercy, climbing in unison while helping each other.
3 The message that Hokusai wanted to express through “Thir-ty-six Views of Mount Fuji” is perhaps captured here in “Groupsof Mountain Climbers.”⑬ 1-2 The Universe at the Heart of Mount Fuji
“Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji,” a nishikie that combined thetechniques of woodblock art, is produced in truly considerable
detail. This large-sized nishiki of just around 39 cm × 27 cm
captures an astoundingly detailed world. Fully experience themicrocosm within “Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji” at this exhibition.

⓯ Profile of Yamanashi Prefectural Museum
Yamanashi Prefectural Museum (located in Fuefuki City in Yamanashi
Prefecture), surrounded by Mount Fuji and the Southern Alpsmountain range, is a historic museum that opened its doors in2005 under the main theme of ‘Nature and People in Yamanashi’.
This museum, surrounded by rich nature, showcases features of
the history and culture of Yamanashi, with an exhibition where
guests walk over a giant photo of Yamanashi taken from space,an exhibition that has reproduced music from the Jomon Period(13,000–300 BCE), and a diorama (miniature model) exhibition that

reproduces the lives of how people lived in the Edo Period withas many as 400 three-dimensional figures. The museum’s
materials relating to Yamanashi, such as those of Takeda Shingen
and Mount Fuji, amass to a collection of about 270,000 pieces,including internationally heralded works such as “Thirty-six
Views of Mount Fuji” by Katsushika Hokusai.
Yamanashi Prefectural Museum
1501-1 Narita, Misaka-cho, Fuefuki-shi Yamanashi-ken
TEL: 055-261-2631• About 10 minutes by bus from Isawa-Onsen Station on the
JR Chuo Main Line (nearest station)•About 30 minutes by bus from Kofu Station on the JR
Chuo Main Line and Minobu Line⓰ Profile of Musée d'Orsay
The Musée d'Orsay is located in Paris, the capital of art. Acrossthe River Seine, the Musée d'Orsay faces the Louvre Museum,
which is one of the three major museums in the world.
The Musée d'Orsay opened its doors in 1986, reusing the old
Orsay Station building that was no longer in use.
Musée d'Orsay is often described as a “shrine to impressionists,”
but as a general rule, the policy of the museum is to exhibit
works from 1848, the year of the February Revolution, to 1914,
covering half a century of French art from the mid-19th century
to before the outbreak of World War I, with art styles such as
Academicism, Realism, Symbolism, Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Navinism, Fauvism, and Art Nouveau.
In fact, in France in the second half of the 19th century, there
was the largest art movement since the renaissance, with new
paintings flourishing one after another. The Musée d'Orsay iswhere you can see all of this explosive art.

⓱ 1-3 Innovation Gone Global
Paris in the 19th century sees the bourgeois that rose up fromthe industrial revolution demand a new form of art that goesbeyond traditional thinking. At the time, art was for the aristocrats and the value of paintings was decided by the subject
matter. It was deemed that scenic paintings and works capturing
the masses were of no value.
Sparked by the 1867 Paris Exposition, it was at this time thatinterest in Japanese art rose. Ukiyoe such as “Thirty-six Views ofMount Fuji” and “Random Drawings by Hokusai,” which
gained popularity outside of Japan, had a big impact andinfluence on the new upcoming impressionist artists and sparked
the major Japonism art movement later on, creating great change
in the art scene across the world.
⓲ Régates à Argenteuil
Title: Régates à Argenteuil
Artist: Claude Monet (1840 to 1926)
Year of production: about 1872
Style & materials: oil painting, canvasSize: H 48 cm × W 75.3 cm
Exhibited at: Musée d'Orsay

Régates is a boat race typically involving sailboats or rowing
boats. Argenteuil, which is where the painting is set, is a town on
the bank of the River Seine, located about 14 km to the northwest of Paris. Argenteuil was popular as an affordable tourist
destination that could be reached by steam train from Paris, andit was here that boating and régates races were enjoyed by many.
Régates à Argenteuil portrays the scene of preparations for arégates. The sight of the boats basking in the sun and the huts
and trees on the other side of the river reflected in the water
surface are painted with large brush strokes.
The theme of this piece is the reflection on the water surface ona sunny day. Paintings that adopted this natural phenomenon as
their theme did not exist in Western Europe before the impressionists.
Within an image composed of sounds and greenery, the huts andsails give the work a vivid brightness, painted in warm orange
and cream complementary colors.
At the time, Monet created a studio on the water to house hisboat, and the Régates à Argenteuil was one of the paintings thatwas produced there.

⑲ Painting Reflections on Water

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1 Painting Reflections on Water
In the western art world in the middle of the 19th century, thevalue of paintings was determined based on their subject matter,and it was deemed that scenic paintings were of the least value.
In this era, young impressionist artists fatefully met at the Gleyre
school of art in Paris. While they searched for a painting style fit
for a new chapter in the history of art, the artwork they admired
and that had enjoyed a great influence on them as exemplary
works were Japan’s ukiyoe such as “Thirty-six Views of MountFuji” and “Random Drawings by Hokusai.” These young
impressionist artists would go on to significantly shake up theworld of painting.
While “Régates à Argenteuil” adopts the reflection on water as
its theme, making such a natural phenomenon the theme of apainting was a first for a painting in the western world.
2 Katsushika Hokusai“Reflection in Lake at Misaka in Kai Province”
3 Claude Monet“Régates à Argenteuil”⓴ La Gare Saint-Lazare
Title: La Gare Saint-Lazare
Artist: Claude Monet (1840 to 1926)
Year of production: 1877
Style & materials: oil painting, canvasSize: H 75 cm × W 105 cm
Exhibited at: Musée d'Orsay

La Gare Saint-Lazare is a terminal station in Paris. Trains leave
the station heading for Normandy in the north of France.
Monet’s parents lived in the Normandy port town of Le Havre,
and he himself resided in Argenteuil, north of Paris, and so for
him it was a station that he used frequently.
In the center slightly towards the bottom of the painting, you
can vaguely see a black locomotive spewing out smoke. In theforeground and on the right side of the station, you can see thedistorted outlines of people, and at the front, the cityscape andthe iron bridge over the railroad tracks can be seen faintly. The
triangular roof covering the platform has large skylights fittedwith glass. Buildings that used iron and glass were popular at thetime.
While this painting captures the latest trends of this city, the coreof this work is not the station or the locomotive itself but thesteam emitted from the locomotive. Monet used blue to paintthe steam in the shade and used white to carefully depict thesmoke shining in the light from the skylight as the steam rises.
You can sense the movement of the steam that is spewed out into
the air before gradually disappearing.
In actual fact, stationary locomotives at stations do not puff out
clouds of smoke into the air like this. Renoir, a good friend of
Monet who was there when the painting was produced, explained years later that Monet had negotiated with the station
master to get the locomotive to produce steam and that the
departure of the train was delayed by 30 minutes in order to wait
for the light to improve.

㉑ Painting Smoke (Steam)

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1 Painting Smoke (Steam)For the young impressionist artists, ukiyoe, which had been
imported from Japan, was a treasure trove of ideas, having
completely flipped the established traditions on their head interms of everything from subject matter to composition andexpression.
In “In the Mountains of Totomi Province,” Hokusai painted two
types of contrast, with gracefully moving clouds surrounding
Mount Fuji and the rising smoke. Meanwhile, in “La GareSaint-Lazare,” Monet also painted the lingering steam and risingsteam separately. Just like in “In the Mountains of Totomi
Province,” the rising steam is painted in two colors above andbelow each other.

2 Katsushika Hokusai
In the Mountains of Totomi Province
3 Claude Monet“La Gare Saint-Lazare” (extract)

㉒ L’Étoile
Title: L’Étoile
Artist: Edgar Degas (1834 to 1917)
Year of production: about 1876
Style & materials: pastels, monotype, paperSize: H 58.4 cm × W 42 cm
Exhibited at: Musée d'Orsay

The title L'Étoile is the name given to the lead ballet dancer at
the Theatre National de l'Opera de Paris. This work, which
captures the moment the young L'Étoile is in the spotlight anddancing on stage, is said to be one of Degas’ masterpieces.
Degas made an innovative attempt to effectively express theartificial light and dark of the stage. Degas created a sketch on asingle block print known as a monotype, and then used very
bright pastels on top of it. This technique did a fantastic job ofexpressing this fantasy-like scene lit up by the stage lighting.
In contrast to the glowing dancer, there is a man in a black suitstanding in the wing of the stage in the background. This man issaid to be either the stage manager or the patron of L'Étoile.
Either way, the figure of a man with no face gives the painting acold impression and makes you feel that L'Étoile will face theharsh reality of everyday life the moment she gets off the stage.
In this piece, Degas does a terrific job of contrasting light anddark and matching the techniques, visuals, and theme.

㉓ Painting Momentary Movements
Layering Brushstrokes with Woodblocks
Surime Expression

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1P
 ainting Momentary Movements

Layering Brushstrokes with Woodblocks
Surime Expression
Degas actively incorporated ukiyoe and was known to have beenstrongly influenced by “Random Drawings by Hokusai”. Here,in aspects of “L'Étoile,” we can see this influence at play.
This expression of a snap-shot of an object’s movement seen in“Random Drawings by Hokusai” was common in the likes ofancient picture scrolls and book illustrations, however, it was
rarely seen in western paintings.
2 While some ukiyoe are prints colored by hand, such as

kyogozuri (monochrome proof for coloring) or special expensive woodblocks, for “L'Étoile,” Degas used pastels to color a woodblockthat had been partially smudged black.

3 In the upper left, there is some artistic expression that is likethe surime of a ukiyoe woodblock print. If you look closely, there
are bumps just like in ukiyoe.
It is likely that a wire brush or the like was used to scratch awayover the pastel to expose the base paper part. From the color of
the scratched away parts, we can tell that light brown paper wasused and that there is no base printing at these parts.
4 Degas’ signature is also scribbled on with a hard paint brush.

㉔ Chaumes de Cordeville à Auvers-sur-Oise
Title: Chaumes de Cordeville à Auvers-sur-Oise
Artist: Vincent Van Gogh (1853 to 1890)
Year of production: 1887
Style & materials: oil painting, canvasSize: H 73 cm × W 92 cm
Exhibited at: Musée d'Orsay

The wave-like strokes fill the frame! It is brimming with vitality!
The almost living and breathing thatched roof blends in withthe surrounding trees as summer clouds awash the dark blue sky!
With the two-tone pallet of green and dark blue as well as his
unique touch, Van Gogh brings to life the vitality lying insummer scenery. The coloring technique by painting a black
outline around an object gives the impression that the influenceof Japanese paintings, particularly ukiyoe woodblock prints, is atwork here.
This work was painted at a time when Van Gogh was energetically engaged in creating new works in Auvers sur Oise locatedto the north of Paris after marking the end of his time undergoing treatment in Provence in the south of France. Just before thispainting was produced, Van Gogh reunited with his brother
Theo, who had supported him since both financially andemotionally.
In a letter sent by Van Gogh to Theo right after this work was
painted, Van Gogh describes his joy at seeing Theo again andthat he drew two rough sketches of country cottages in the past
two days. Chaumes de Cordeville à Auvers-sur-Oise is a workthat gives a sense of Van Gogh’s positive mindset toward producing art.

㉕ Giving Motion to the Painting with Wave-Like Contoursn

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1 Giving Motion to the Painting with Wave-Like Contours
Van Gogh, who was a post-impressionist, is known as anotherartist who was heavily influenced by Hokusai, Hiroshige, andukiyoe.
“Chaumes de Cordeville à Auvers-sur-Oise” features nature andbuildings painted with manga-like wavy lines. Édouard Manet,
who is said to be the father of impressionism, was influenced by
Japanese art and he painted works that emphasized the contours.
In the western art world up to that point, it was normal foroutlines to be carefully painted with a blurred look.
2 Katsushika Hokusai“The Great Wave off Kanagawa”

3 Vincent Van Gogh
“Chaumes de Cordeville à Auvers-sur-Oise”

㉖ Vairumati
Title: Vairumati
Artist: Paul Gauguin (1848 to 1903)
Year of production: 1897
Style & materials: oil painting, canvasSize: H 73.5 cm × W 92.5 cm
Exhibited at: Musée d'Orsay

Vairumati is a beautiful women that appears in the mythology of
the Marquesas Islands. She becomes the wife of the first God tolay their eyes on her. Gauguin captures the figure of Vairumati
sitting on her throne.
If you look closely, you can see that the work is painted on an
extremely rough canvas and that there are two rough lines
running vertically. Perhaps paint canvases could not be obtainedin Tahiti (or they were too expensive) and that Gauguin had to use analternative such as a hemp sack used for transporting goods.
This painting contains artistic expression where the characteristics of the canvas have been used to the artist’s advantage. For
example, the noticeable rough vertical lines overlap with theoutlines of Vairumati’s hair. As for her skin, the fabric is wornaway by layering the paints on top of each other, causing theeffect where it appears as if the outlines have been decorated bycreating small holes with a needle. Looking at this artwork
overall, it has a unique deep color tone typical of a tropical country, similar to the artistic expression that makes use of the textureof silk thread and washi in Japanese paintings.
A painting with a simplistic texture like that of a handmade craft
work, “Vairumati” is one of the main works associated with
Gauguin, symbolically expressing a primitive world.

㉗ Using the Material Qualities of Resembling Media for
Artistic Expression

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1 Using the Material Qualities of Resembling Media for Artistic
Expression
In the western art world, fixtures to support paintings such as
canvases and boards were merely supporting fixtures and fillingthem was the norm. Japan had a mitate (the artistic approach of using
symbols, metaphors, or representations to convey deeper meanings) culture,and in “Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji,” Hokusai utilized the
texture of the handmade washi and the grain of the imprinted
woodblock to resemble things like clouds, snow, and waves.
In “Vairumati,” Gauguin used the seams and creases of the roughhemp sack as part of his artistic expression.

2 Katsushika Hokusai“Tatekawa in Honjo” (extract)

3 Katsushika Hokusai“Fuji from Goten’yama at Shinagawa on the Tokaido Road”(extract)
4 Paul Gauguin“Vairumati” (extract)

㉘ La Table de cuisine
Title: La Table de cuisine
Artist: Paul Cézanne (1839 to 1906)
Year of production: 1888 to 1890
Style & materials: oil painting, canvasSize: H 65 cm × W 81.5 cm
Exhibited at: Musée d'Orsay

All the still objects, such as the juicy fruits and the teapot andplates that appear as if they are about to start dancing at any
moment, are captured with great energy. If you look closely, youwill spot what is strange about this painting. The left and rightside of the table are different heights. The lemons appear to berising on their own will. The teapot is slanted to the left and the
top of the surface at the back in the center is tilted too far
forward. This conception is not realistic.
Japanese paintings featured different time zones or things thatare not actually visible together in the same frame, but forwestern paintings at this time, it was the norm to paint a picturefrom a fixed perspective in a realistic manner.
Observation is the work of observing an object from various
angles, such as getting close to or peering at a face, and using
this information as input to be remembered. Cézanne’s intention
was to establish these multiple perspectives onto one canvas. The
painting is formed by scratching away the complementary colors,
capturing objects as simplified geometric shapes, and restructuring. The viewer is unconsciously pulled in by these tricks. The
painting features simplified objects, a slightly unnatural conception, and rough brush strokes. All of these create a piece ofartwork that keeps its audience interested by giving a sense ofenergy to still objects as if they are alive.
In the 20th century, the expression of applying geometric shapes
and turning them into objects was taken forward by Picasso andso on. As simplified coloring was passed on to Matisse, etc.,
Cézanne is said to be the farther of contemporary painting (ormodern painting should the 20th century be given the label “modern”).

㉙ Painting Geometric Shapes

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1 Painting Geometric Shapes
Cézanne is another artist who was heavily influenced by Hokusai. In his edehon (art manual) “Quick Lessons in Simplified Draw-ing,” Hokusai states that “the basics of all things are circles andcorners” and that he “teaches the principles of drawing using aruler and compass.” Cézanne also incorporated this painting
method of using geometric shapes, saying, “capture nature withcylinders, spheres, and cones.” A feature of Cézanne is his
minimal use of colors. It is thought that Cézanne learned fromukiyoe that attractive paintings can be created with a small
number of colors by using creative artistic expression such as
surime (printed patterns).
This technique was later passed on to Cubism and Fauvism.
Perhaps it is fair to say that 20th century paintings would nothave existed without Hokusai.

2 Katsushika Hokusai“In the Mountains of Totomi Province”
3 Paul Cézanne“La Table de cuisine”

4 Paul Cézanne“Montagne Sainte-Victoire”

5 Background: thin vertical brush strokes

6 Middle distance: slightly thick horizontal brush strokes
7 Foreground: thick and rough vertical brush stroke

㉚ Second Chapter

Hokusai’s World of Paintings
After his time at the Katsukawa school and the Rinpa school ofpainting, producing book illustrations and edehon (designs),
painting nishikie such as “Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji,” andpublishing “One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji,” Hokusai took
the pen name Gakyorojin Manji, and focused on the world of
painting as a culmination of his artistic endeavors.
Nishikie features techniques such as karazuri and kimedashi (typesof embossing), kirazuri (printing with mica powder), tsuyazuri (glossy
printing), kinginzuri (gold and silver printing), and shomensuri (front
printing), and in expensive woodblocks in particular, a technique

is used in which its appearance changes in the light when theviewer observers the artwork in their hands. Edehon and designsof craft works require techniques that capture the essence of theobject, simplify it as much as possible, and apply creative design.
After his career to date, what kind of painting philosophy would
Hokusai strive for and arrive at?
㉛ 2-1 Painting a Sense of Awe㉜ Phoenix ceiling painting in the main hall of Ganshoin Temple
Color panel painting
Depth 550.0 cm × Width 630.0 cm(Size of recovered original painting: H 157.0 cm × W 180.0 cm)

This painting, which was dedicated to Ganshoin Temple in 1848
when Hokusai was 89, is one of the finest works he ever produced.
The high-definition digital remastering of this work conductedfrom 2019 to 2022 brought to light the fact that various creative
practices and innovative techniques were used to make it. The
biggest discovery was that only those who worship the setting
sun will see a glittering appearance of gold and silver around thetime of Hana-matsuri (the anniversary of the birth of Buddha: April 8
per the lunar calendar).

On his future at aged 75, in the afterword of “One Hundred
Views of Mount Fuji,” Hokusai writes, “At 80, one should
continue to advance, and at 90, one should still strive to deepen
their inner understanding. At age 100, one may truly attain aprofound and humble state. By 110, one may become like a
newborn, with each moment and detail of life being as fresh as
ever. I hope to witness the wisdom of a long-lived nobleman andsee that my words are true.” Perhaps it could be said that thisstatement in itself truly has a sense of awe about it.

㉝ The Changing Appearance of “Phoenix”

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1 The Changing Appearance of “Phoenix”
From 2019 to 2022, with the use of Ars Techne’s DTIP technology, NTT ArtTechnology Corporation and Ars Techne Corporation conducted a high-definition digital remastering of the“Phoenix” ceiling painting at Ganshoin Temple and the “Phoenix master drawing.”
Comparing images of the two works, the painting on the ceilinghas been exquisitely simplified and stylized compared to “Phoenix master drawing,” which is a sketch. We can see that thepainting is composed as if it were a ukiyoe print. Painting thedetailed depiction of the master drawing onto a giant ceilingwithout making any changes would have been no easy feat,involving an extremely large workload for one person to paint iton their own. It is likely that the painting on the ceiling was adesign calculated beforehand to be viewed from a distance andto be worked on by multiple people like a ukiyoe print. It is fairto say that it is a painting that could only have been painted by
Hokusai, bringing together all his experience as a ukiyoe painterand a creator of edehon (designs).

Lamp soot ink is used for the ink lines that separate each aspect,and the ink is layered tenaciously as if in a frenzy. Lamp soot ink
reflects when layered and gives off a silvery gloss. While the eyesof the phoenix are painted with a frightening expression using
sharp edges painted in lamp soot ink, they appear to change to afriendly expression by reflecting to a silver color.
In addition, in the master drawing, the head of the phoenix is
painted white, but it was changed to blue, with the reason forthis thought to be a change in tone to make the change in
expression more prominent.
The surroundings appear to be a disordered base coat, andjudging from a description by Hokusai himself written on thesecond sketch, it is suspected that he initially planned to affix a
lot of gold leaf.
From the very front, the evening sun shines onto the ceiling of
Ganshoin Temple on the day of the Buddha’s Birthday per the
lunar calendar. At this time, “Phoenix” gives a changed appearance in which it shines with a different expression to those who
stand before it.
2 The strokes of layered lamp soot ink

3 “Phoenix ceiling painting” when reflecting light

4 Sunset at Ganshoin on May 19, 1831 (April 8 of the lunar
calendar) Sunset direction

5 From a map of sunrises and sunsets

6 Position in which the painting appears to shine㉞
Phoenix(Master drawing for the ceiling painting at Ganshōin temple commonly known as Phoenix Glaring in All Directions)H38.5cm × W52.0cm

㉟ 2-2 Creatively Using Paints and Painting Pictures That
Change in Appearance㊱ Beautiful Woman Composing Poetry
A single colored painting on a silk scroll
Katsushika Hokusai
Signed “Hokusai aratame Taito” (Taito, formerly Hokusai)
Around 1810 to 1819
H 87.6 cm × W 29.6 cm
Exhibited at the Nitori Museum of Art (The Nitori Culture Foundation)

Beautiful Woman Composing Poetry is a Hokusai painting thatwas recently discovered.
The gold colored paper decoration stuck at the top of thepainting is reminiscent of a craft work. It contains the words: “Ideeply contemplate the ship vanishing from sight through themorning mist over Akashi Bay,” which are said to be the work of
Kakinomoto no Hitomaro in “Kokin Wakashu” (Collection of Japanese Poems of Ancient and Modern Times).
For the woman, detailed coloring is used, with the green
rust-like leaf pattern on the jet black hem of the attire almost
like a mother-of-pearl inlay. Two types of ink are used for thispainting. Each carefully painted strand of hair is produced witha non-reflective ink made of burnt pine. The transparent-looking
black collar is painted with a reflective lamp soot ink, and when
it catches the light, it gives a glossy appearance to the strands ofhair like the tsuyazuri (glossy printing) technique of a ukiyoe

woodblock print.
This painting tells us that Hokusai was already using thisreflection of lamp soot ink as an artistic expression around his
50s. Beautiful Woman Composing Poetry is a work of art filledwith ideas typically associated with Hokusai, who had experience
producing book illustrations and as a ukiyoe painter.

㊲ Transforming Expression with Lamp Soot Ink

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1 Transforming Expression with Lamp Soot Ink
The reflective expression of lamp soot ink used in the two “Phoenix” paintings at Ganshoin Temple is also used in “Beautiful
Woman Composing Poetry,” “Beauty with Umbrella beneath a
Willow Tree,” and “Shirabyōshi,Dancer” informing us that Hokusai
was at the very least using this technique consciously from his 50s.
Lamp soot ink is an expensive ink, and as its particles are fine anduniform, it forms a mirror-like surface the more it is layered,with it giving off a silver color when light reflects off it.
In “Beautiful Woman Composing Poetry,” lamp soot ink islayered for the black collar part underneath the hair, and byusing a non-reflective ink made of burnt pine for the hair on topof that and all other parts, it makes it look as if the black collar,
which is visible through the hair, changes in appearance.
Lamp soot ink has been used in paintings since the ancient
times. However, the fact that Hokusai understood its chemical
properties and consciously used it for artistic expression just likeshomenzuri (front printing) and tsuyazuri (glossy printing) of a nishikie(the woodblock of a ukiyoe print), we can safely say that this technique

is artistic innovation by Hokusai. It is also fair to say that thistechnique is unique to Hokusai, who had gained experience as apainter of ukiyoe woodblock prints.

2 “Beautiful Woman Composing Poetry”
3 Normally

4 When reflecting light

5 “Beauty with Umbrella beneath a Willow Tree”
6 “Shirabyōshi Dancer”

㊳ Beauty with Umbrella beneath a Willow Tree
A single colored painting on a silk scroll
Katsushika Hokusai Signed Gakyojin Hokusai
Around 1801 to 1804
H 84.3 cm × W 25.4 cm
Exhibited at The Hokusai-kan Museum

Beauty with Umbrella beneath a Willow Tree is a classic ukiyoe
painting portraying a beautiful woman in the Sori style. This
piece is said to have been produced around 1801 to 1804 when
Hokusai was about 42 to 45 years old.
The supple willow tree and prostitute are captured with two arcs
as if in conversation. In contrast to the soft background andexpression of the woman, the sharply-pointed triangular paperumbrella held by the prostitute is, looking closely, painted
geometrically with lines and planes, giving a sense of tension to
the picture. Meanwhile, the sleeves of the kimono and thetriangular-shaped patch of earth in the background act as abuffer, blending into the picture. It features a bold and intricate
conception, which is typical of Hokusai.
If we observe the painting in detail, at first glance, it appears as if
the prostitute’s attire and the background are painted in plain
colors. However, a rough navy blue mineral pigment is used forpart of the willow tree and the pattern of the prostitute’s darariobi (a type of kimono belt), and lamp soot ink is layered for the hairand part of the geta sandals, transforming glamorously whencatching the light. This work tells us of the aesthetic sense of the
Edo Period in which care and attention are paid to the hidden
details.

㊴ Transforming Expression with Navy Blue (Mineral Pigments) orGold Paint

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1 Transforming Expression with Navy Blue (Mineral Pigments)

or Gold Paint
For the characteristic facial materials of Japanese paintings, there
are reflective facial materials such as mineral pigments (mainly
paint made by crushing ore into particles) and gold and silver paints

made by turning gold, silver, etc. into a powder. In ukiyoe
woodblock prints as well, for special printing, reflective bodymaterials are used such as gold, silver, mica, and limpets.
Hokusai actively used such reflective painting materials in his
paintings as well.
A rough navy blue mineral pigment is used for the part of thewillow tree in the “Phoenix ceiling painting” and “Beauty with
Umbrella beneath a Willow Tree,” as well as the genji-like patternof the woman’s darari obi. As the particles are rough, thepainting shines when light hits it, making the painting seem tochange in appearance.
In “Shirabyōshi,Dancer” gold paint is used for the eboshi(black-lacquered headgear) part and the pattern of the folding fan.

The dancer in “Shirabyōshi Dancer” is shaped by combining
triangles, and if including the gold paint part and the lamp sootink part that peeks out from the hakama at the bottom, it is acomposition that could be thought of as being reflective, withtriangular shapes overlapping the triangular shape configuration.
2 “Beauty with Umbrella beneath a Willow Tree” (extract)
3 “Shirabyōshi Dancer” (composition)

4 Gold paint5 Lamp soot ink

㊵ Shirabyōshi Dancer
A single colored painting on a silk scroll
Katsushika Hokusai Signed “Hokusai Taito aratame Iitsu” (Iitsu, formerly Hokusai Taito)
Around 1820
H 98.0 cm × W 41.9 cm
Exhibited at The Hokusai-kan Museum

The title “Shirabyōshi Dancer” refers to the act of singing anddancing while dressed in men’s attire that took place from theend of the Heian Period to the Kamakura Period (late 12th
century), as well as a maionna (a female dancer). This painting is said

to portray the dancing figure of Shizuka Gozen (Lady Shizuka)
conveying her tragic love story with Minamoto no Yoshitsune.
She stands with a dignified pose and facial expression. The attire
is painted in red and white, gold paint is used precisely for theeboshi at the top and the folding fan in the middle, and lamp
soot ink is layered for some of the long black hair that peeks out
from the hakama at the bottom, giving a glossy finish to thepainting. The elegant beauty of the woman’s appearance isalluring.
In contrast to the soft expressions of the woman’s face and hair,
the lines of her attire are painted with unique hard strokes that
Hokusai sometimes used. This painting is composed of fairly
fine straight lines. It is almost as if she is tied up by chains.
The painting appears to even give us a sense of the life of
Shizuka Gozen, who was both beautiful and fragile and toyedwith by fate.

㊶ 2-3 Painting Small and Familiar Natural Life
㊷ An Album of Paintings
Signed “Zenhokusai Iitsu aratame
Gakyorojin Manji” (Gakyorojin
Manji, formerly Hokusai Iitsu)
A colored paper-bound bookwith ten different images
H 25.0 cm × W 334.0 cm
Exhibited at The Hokusai-kan Museum

Frame #1
1. Adonis and Folding Fan
2. Falconer's Hawk
3. Scissors and Sparrow

Frame #2
4. Cup and Pear Blossoms
5. Snake and Small Bird
6. Lesser Cuckoo
Frame #3
7. Flounders and Fringed Pinks
8. Saxifrage and Frog
9. Sweetfish
10. Salted Salmon and WhiteMice

In “The Biography of Katsushika Hokusai” written by Iijima
Kyoshin, it says that in the year 1836, during the famine of the
Tenpo Period, Hokusai survived by drawing landscapes, people,
flowers, birds, plants, and other subjects on the paper he had on
hand, selling them as a “An Album of Paintings.” Meanwhile, in“The Chronology of Katsushika Hokusai” written by Nagata
Seiji, it states that four advertisements were found for “AnAlbum of Paintings” by Hokusai. Works exhibited at Hokusai-kan are thought to be those advertised by Nishimuraya
Yohachi and Yuzo at the end of “One Hundred Views of MountFuji” in 1835, with familiar small animals and flowers painted
with a lively aura.
However, both works are not just realistic paintings of small
natural objects. This painting gives you a sense of the seasonstransitioning from spring, with the adonis flower in the first
picture, to summer and fall through to the end of the year.
During this transition, we worship nature, love it, use it, andharm it, with living things coexisting with what us humans
create. After finishing looking at all the paintings in this piece ofwork, it makes you contemplate that people’s lives and nature areintertwined.

㊸ 2-4 Bringing Paintings to Life with Colors and Shapes㊹ Kaosho Rochishin
A single colored painting on a silk scroll
Katsushika Hokusai Signed Hokusai Iitsu
Around 1827
H 105.5 cm × W 42.4 cm
Exhibited at the Nitori Museum of Art (The Nitori Culture Foundation)“The Water Margin” (a classic of Chinese literature) was hugely popular among the masses in the late Edo Period (middle of the 18th
century). Hokusai also produced artwork related to “The Water
Margin,” such as illustrations and festival carts, etc. This piece
portrays “Lu Zhishen, the Tattooed Monk,” who was a hero of
the Ryozanpaku Dojo. Lu Zhishen was a man with superhumanstrength who was able to pull a willow tree out of the ground. In
contrast to his powerful presence awash with dynamic energy,
there are three delicate birds flying in the sky. This is seemly used
to symbolize the nature of Lu Zhishen, who was kind andstrong.

㊺ Chrysanthemums
A pair of colored paintings on silk scrolls
Signed Rojin Manji, 88 years old and signed Manji, 88 years old
1847
H 95.5 cm × W 31.4 cm (both ends)
Exhibited at The Hokusai-kan Museum

Lively and bright flowers fill the picture. Chrysanthemum
flowers are truly diverse. If you look closely, each flower looks
realistic and is designed with individual shapes just like an artsand crafts pattern, and thereby making this painting almost apiece of craft work. The wide range of colors and vortex ofshapes breath life into the painting.
To me, the left side is somewhat masculine, with an arrangementof large chrysanthemums. In contrast, the right side appears
feminine, with fine, more varied and vivid chrysanthemums
arranged.
Perhaps it is fair to say that Hokusai evolved the genre of flower
and bird paintings with this painting.

㊻ 2-5 Hokusai and Dragons: Breathing Life into Art with
Minimalist Beauty and the Use of All Black Ink㊼ Cloud Dragon
A single colored painting on a silk scroll
Katsushika Hokusai Signed Gakyorojin Manji
1845
H 65.4 cm × W 37.9 cm
Exhibited at the Nitori Museum of Art (The Nitori Culture Foundation)

Hokusai painted many dragons. This entire painting is captured
clearly, contrasting with “Cloud Dragon,” a painting exhibited at
the British Museum and Guimet Museum that portrays the dragonhidden among numerous clouds. The face resembles the piece
exhibited at the British Museum, with the expression giving the
dragon a sense of a somewhat soft and human-like persona.
The black clouds surrounding the dragon are captured in a shadecreated with a delicate blurring effect, and the technique of splashing
paint on top of this produces a powerful image in which you cansense the movement of the dragon.

㊽ Dragon Flying over Mount Fuji
A single colored painting on a silk scroll
Signed Rojin Manji, 90 years old
1849
H 95.8 cm × W 36.2 cm
Exhibited at The Hokusai-kan Museum“Dragon Flying over Mount Fuji” is a late masterpiece that is said tobe Hokusai’s final work. Also from the fact that the signature in thebottom right of the painting is inscribed with the date the painting
was produced (1849, year of the rooster, first month, day of the dragon) andhis year of birth (born in 1760, seventeenth year of the sexagenary cycle), we
can see Hokusai’s strong attachment to dragons.
It contains a colossal Mount Fuji, which takes up around half of thepainting. The dragon, which climbs up to the sky along the path ofblack clouds surrounding it (the shape of the clouds is reminiscent of thosein “In the Mountains of Totomi Province” in “Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji”),
seems to be used as an analogy of Hokusai’s own life, and perhaps
this painting represents Hokusai’s state of mind in his final years.
Astonishingly, when looking at the painting zoomed in with lightreflecting off it from the front, we can see that the deep black ink of
the dark clouds is actually thinly applied, with Hokusai mainlycoloring the surface of the weft threads. The cross-section of the raw
silk is a triangular prism structure, and so even if just a part of it ispainted black, it disperses the surrounding light and appears jet
black. However, when light hits it, it creates a diffused reflection andlight reflects off the parts that are not painted.
The shading of the clouds of “Dragon Flying over Mount Fuji” isdone in such a way so as to appear as if the clouds are changing
constantly with the changes in the ambient light. It is quite possiblethat the painting could appear to change like video footage if seen
under the flickering light of a lantern.
“I must live my life one brush stroke at a time.” Contrary to his own
perception, perhaps it is fair to say that in his last years, Hokusaireached a place where he painted artworks that would change as if
they were alive, using only the minimum number of tools such as
ink and a brush.

㊾ Thin Ink Coating▪
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2 When light reflects off the front▪
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Shinshu Obuse

485 Obuse, Obuse-machi,
Kamitakai-gun, Nagano-ken
URL: https://hokusai-kan.com

The Hokusai-kan Museum

Around 1830 to 1844 when Takai Kozan invited Katsushika Hokusai
to Obuse, Obuse was prospering as the economic center of northern
Shinano and it was a time when Obuse culture blossomed. Hokusai
visited Obuse four times. During his stay, he focused his efforts on his
paintings, which were the culmination of his later years, and painted
the local Higashimachi Festival Cart ceiling panel (Dragon and Phoenix),
Kanmachi Festival Cart ceiling panel (Masculine Waves and Feminine
Waves), and the “Phoenix” main hall ceiling painting (Phoenix Glaring in
All Directions).

In 1966, a Hokusai exhibition focusing on his paintings washeld in the then Soviet Union, and many artworks from Obuse
were displayed. This exhibition publicized Obuse’s Hokusai far
and wide, and since then, debate surrounding building a
Hokusai art museum in the town of Obuse grew, with Hokusai-kan opening its doors in 1976. In addition to permanently
exhibiting the two festival carts of Higashimachi and Kanmachi(designated as important cultural assets of Nagano Prefecture), Hoku-

sai-kan showcases a broad range of Hokusai’s works, exhibiting
about 80 hand paintings, 130 woodblock prints, 80 surimono,and 250 printed books. Obuse-machi has also spent 40 years or
so on its “Townscape Improvement Project,” to utilize thebuildings and traces remaining from when Hokusai visited thetown. A beautiful harmony exists between the original buildings
and buildings of today.

Kanmachi Festival Cart

Higashimachi Festival Cart

Soto Zen school Baidozan
Ganshoin Temple

Karida 615, Obuse-machi,
Kamitakai-gun, Nagano-ken
URL: https:// www.gansho-in.or.jp/

Temple legend has it that Ogino Jorin, who was Lord of Karida
Castle, laid the foundations of the temple in 1472. Futaku
Genkei was the first chief priest of the temple.
After the main temple building was burnt down in a fire in
1812, it was rebuilt in 1831. At this time, Takai Kozan served as
the mediator and Katsushika Hokusai was asked to produce apainting for the ceiling of the main temple building.
It is a family temple of the samurai Fukushima Masanori, who
lived during the Azuchi-Momoyama Period and early Edo Period(late 15th century to early 16th century). In the precincts, there is amausoleum, and behind the main building, there is a pond thatis said to be a “battleground for frogs,” which inspired Kobayashi
Issa, a poet in the Edo Period, to compose the haiku poem:“Skinny frog, don’t give up, Issa is on your side.”“Phoenix” main hall ceiling painting(Phoenix Glaring in All Directions)

Panoramic view of Ganshoin Temple

Takai Kozan Memorial Museum
805-1 Obuse, Obuse-machi, Kamitakai-gun, Nagano-ken
URL : https://www.town.obuse.nagano.jp/site/takaikouzan

As part of the first “Townscape Improvement Project” conductedfrom 1981 to 1988, the building was maintained and renovated,centering on the yuzenro, which could be called the conference
room and study of Kozan’s later years. The Takai Kozan Memorial Museum was opened in
November 1983, marking 100
years since his death. Consisting of
the yuzenro and the former
granary, library, and store house,
the artworks, old personal belongings, and materials of fellow artists
and friends Kozan, Hokusai,
Sakuma Shozan, etc. are stored
and exhibited here.
Takai Kozan Statue

Takai Kozan Memorial Museum

Yuzenro Nitori Museum of Art, Otaru Art Base
Otaru Art Base is made up of four museums that utilize fivehistoric buildings built from the Taisho Period to the Showa
Period (early to late 19th century) in which Otaru prospered. Nitori
Co., Ltd., which is a company originally from Hokkaido,
opened the Otaru Art Base in 2016 as part of its social contribution efforts. Since 2020, the Nitori Culture Foundation has been
responsible for running the facility.
The Nitori Museum of Art opened in 2017 as the third art
museum in the Otaru Art Base. Using the old Otaru Branch of
the Hokkaido Takushoku Bank (a building designated of historicalimportance by Otaru City) built in 1923, each floor (four above groundand one underground) exhibits the likes of Japanese paintings by

Yokoyama Taikan and Uemura Shoen, Western paintings by Fujita
Tsuguharu and Kishida Ryusei, sculptures by Takamura Koun andhis apprentices, and stained glass by Louis Comfort Tiffany.

 Final Message
In his final years, Hokusai, having turned 80 years old, did awaywith his status as a ukiyoe painter, and as a new lease of life,
began signing his works “Gakyorojin Manji,” jumping head first
into the world of painting by painting pieces on everlasting
topics such as history, religion, mythology, life, and nature. This
digital remastering of Hokusai’s paintings was a personal goal ofmine and a dream. I am truly grateful to have been afforded thisopportunity to introduce the results of this endeavor to everyone
and to everyone for attending this exhibition.
It is said that Hokusai produced as many as 34,000 pieces ofartwork during the course of his life. Although this is only asmall fraction of his great career, there are some things that I
acutely felt in undertaking this digital remastering. Allow me totake this opportunity to share them with you.
The first is about the works of Hokusai. As has been said up
until now, the overall visual composition and fantastic color
tones of Hokusai’s art are indisputable. From the details of theseelements, we can see that his painting is the result of deeply
considered creative efforts conducted without compromise, fromthe selection of the painting materials to the brush strokes andthe almost invisible details.
The second is the fact that there is something in common in the
lives of innovators and those that achieve great things.
Not worrying about the world’s reputation, being unwavering in
his own simple goals, and continuing to innovate with all his
might like an artisan until his passing.
I really felt this approach to life from each and every piece of art
that Hokusai left behind. I hope that this exhibition is able toconvey even just a fragment of this.
Now, turning to the man himself, Hokusai, who is said to havepainted anything and everything. There is still so much that I
have to share about him. In the next exhibition “The Climax– Part 2,” we will showcase Hokusai’s works on the themes ofspace and time. I sincerely hope to see you again at the next
exhibition!
Thank you.
Iwao Kubota