Sharaku and Hokusai
, by Midgard Japan, 2 min reading time
Sharaku and Hokusai were ukiyo-e artists active in the late Edo period.
Sharaku is a mysterious artist who produced around 140 works, mainly depictions of actors, in just 10 months between 1794 and the following year, before suddenly disappearing. In particular, his "Okubi-e" (large head portraits), which keenly capture the individuality and inner thoughts of Kabuki actors and use deformation to create a powerful expression, astonished people at the time. There are various theories about his true identity, but he has yet to be identified.
Meanwhile, Katsushika Hokusai was born in 1760 and continued to paint throughout his life until his death at the age of 90. He worked in a very wide range of genres, including actor paintings, portraits of beautiful women, flower and bird paintings, and landscapes, and his style was also diverse. His signature work, Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, is a series that depicts Mount Fuji from various perspectives, and its bold composition and sense of color were highly praised both in Japan and overseas, and even influenced Impressionist painters.
Both artists are representative of the Golden Age of Ukiyo-e, and their innovative expressions had a profound influence on the art of later generations. Sharaku's mysterious charm and Hokusai's boundless spirit of inquiry continue to fascinate many people even today.
Sharaku and Hokusai were ukiyo-e artists who were active during the late Edo period.
Sharaku is a mysterious artist who suddenly disappeared after releasing about 140 works, mainly actor portraits, within a mere 10-month period from 1794 to 1795. In particular, his "large-head portraits" (Okubi-e) , which keenly captured the personality and inner world of kabuki actors and employed strong deformities, astonished people at the time with their powerful expressiveness. There are various theories regarding his true identity, but it has yet to be definitively determined.
On the other hand, Katsushika Hokusai was born in 1760 and continued to paint throughout his life until his death at the age of 90. He worked in a tremendously wide range of genres, including actor portraits, beautiful women, birds and flowers, and landscapes, and his artistic styles were also diverse. His representative work, "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji," is a series depicting Mount Fuji from various perspectives. Its bold compositions and sense of color are highly acclaimed both domestically and internationally, even influencing Impressionist painters.
Both artists are representative figures of the golden age of ukiyo-e, and their innovative expressions had a profound impact on later art. Sharaku's mysterious charm and Hokusai's endless spirit of inquiry continue to fascinate many people even today.
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