Boston's Museum of Fine Arts is currently hosting an massive exhibition of Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849) the first Japanese artist to receive internationally recognition. The museum has lots of programming tied to the exhibit, including courses on 19th-century Japan and artist demonstrations of Japanese woodblock printing
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Hokusai Exhibition through August 9
Huffington Post: 9 Key Terms You Should Know Before Seeing The Massive Hokusai Exhibition
Book: Hokusai
Book: Hokusai
I was lucky enough to see an exhibit of Hokusai's work in Japan, at the Tokyo National Museum. You can see, by comparing his work to other wood block printers' work, his amazingly talent and how fine and subtle his work was. He also had a great sense of humor, as exhibited in some of his pieces.
ReplyDeleteThe Japanese turned out in droves to see the exhibit. The crowds were incredible.
Many Gurney Journey readers may have encountered this quotation from Hokusai, or even have it on a wall, but for those who haven't seen it, it's always worth sharing:
ReplyDelete“From the age of six I had a mania for drawing the shapes of things. When I was fifty I had published a universe of designs. but all I have done before the the age of seventy is not worth bothering with.
At seventy five I’ll have learned something of the pattern of nature, of animals, of plants, of trees, birds, fish and insects. When I am eighty you will see real progress. At ninety I shall have cut my way deeply into the mystery of life itself. At a hundred I shall be a marvelous artist. At a hundred and ten everything I create; a dot, a line, will jump to life as never before.”
This was one of the best exhibits I have seen in a long time! it was at VA museum of fine art this year. Had to go back !! Don't miss it if you can go.
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