Random Sketches by Hokusai, Volume 12

1834

Not on view

Hokusai's picture book, published in fifteen volumes, included popular drawings of figures from everyday life, mythology, religion, and legend, as well as depictions of flora, fauna and landscape. It was probably created to provide models for artists. This image, "Man Making Faces," is included among a volume of humorous sketches and caricatures. The print features close-up reflections of a man creating two different distorted expressions. However, Hokusai plays with the reality of the mirror image by eliminating the real subject—the man—and representing only his reflection. Since the subject has entered our space, the artist engages us on a different level. Could we be the subject?

Artwork Details

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References

Title: Random Sketches by Hokusai, Volume 12
Artist: Katsushika Hokusai (Japanese, Tokyo (Edo) 1760–1849 Tokyo (Edo))
Period: Edo period (1615–1868)
Date: 1834
Culture: Japan
Medium: Woodblock printed book; ink and color on paper
Dimensions: Overall: 9 × 6 1/4 × 1/2 in. (22.9 × 15.9 × 1.3 cm)
Classification: Illustrated Books
Credit Line: The Howard Mansfield Collection, Gift of Howard Mansfield, 1936
Object Number: JIB112
Curatorial Department: Asian Art

More Artwork

By Katsushika Hokusai

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Random Sketches by Hokusai, Volumes 1 to 11, Katsushika Hokusai 葛飾北斎 Japanese, Eleven volumes of woodblock printed books; ink and color on paper, Japan — Random Sketches by Hokusai, Volumes 1 to 11
Katsushika Hokusai 葛飾北斎

Yahagi Bridge at Okazaki on the Tōkaidō (Tōkaidō Okazaki Yahagi no hashi), from the series Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyō kiran), Katsushika Hokusai Japanese, Woodblock print; ink and color on paper, Japan — Yahagi Bridge at Okazaki on the Tōkaidō (Tōkaidō Okazaki Yahagi no hashi), from the series Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyō kiran)
Katsushika Hokusai
ca. 1834

The Suspension Bridge on the Border of Hida and Etchū Provinces (Hietsu no sakai tsuribashi), from the series Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyō kiran), Katsushika Hokusai Japanese, Woodblock print; ink and color on paper, Japan — The Suspension Bridge on the Border of Hida and Etchū Provinces (Hietsu no sakai tsuribashi), from the series Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyō kiran)
Katsushika Hokusai
ca. 1830

Cherry Blossoms at Yoshino (Yoshino), from the series Snow, Moon, and Flowers (Setsugekka), Katsushika Hokusai Japanese, Woodblock print; ink and color on paper, Japan — Cherry Blossoms at Yoshino (Yoshino), from the series Snow, Moon, and Flowers (Setsugekka)
Katsushika Hokusai
ca. 1833

Nakahara in Sagami Province (Sōshū Nakahara), from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei), Katsushika Hokusai Japanese, Woodblock print; ink and color on paper, Japan — Nakahara in Sagami Province (Sōshū Nakahara), from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)
Katsushika Hokusai
ca. 1830–32

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