Page 22 - Sotheby's London Fine Japanese Art Nov. 2019

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KATSUSHIKA HOKUSAI (1760–1849)
ONE HUNDRED VIEWS OF MOUNT FUJI
(FUGAKU HYAKKEI)
EDO PERIOD, 19 TH CENTURY
woodblock-printed illustrated books (3 volumes): ink on paper;
3 volumes; vols. 1 and 2 pink embossed paper covers with
printed falcon-feather title slips; vol. 3 orange red paper cover
with printed title slip now blue; block cutters Egawa Tomekichi
(vols. 1, 2) and Egawa Sentaro (vol. 3); published in Nagoya
by Eirakuya Toshiro (Tohekido) and in Edo by Kadomaruya
Jinsuke, Nishimuraya Yuzo and Nishimuraya Yohachi (Eijudo)
and others, vols. 1, 2; published in Nagoya by Eirakuya Toshiro
(Tohekido) and others, vol. 3; artist’s signature zen Hokusai
Iitsu aratame Gakyōrōjin Manji [Old Man Mad about Painting];
preface by Ryutei Tanehiko (1783-1842), volume 1 (1834),
volume 2 (1835), volume 3 (1849?)
All vertical fukurotojibon [pouch binding]/ hanshibon:
each approx. 22.8 x 15.8 cm., 9 x 61/4 in.
(3)
Manji Hokusai at the age of seventy-five added a short
autobiographical colophon in the first volume, in which he
manifests a positive self-assessment and accomplishment of
his long artistic career. He further expressed his aspiration to
practice until the age of 110. Hokusai was determined in his
belief of getting better as he grew older.
From the age of six I had a penchant for copying the form
of things, and from about fifty, my pictures were frequently
published; but until the age of seventy, nothing that I drew was
worthy of notice. At seventy-three years, I was somewhat able
to fathom the growth of plants and trees, and the structure
of birds, animals, insects, and fish. Thus, when I reach eighty
years, I hope to have made increasing progress, and at ninety
to see further into the underlying principles of things, so that
at one hundred years I will have achieved a divine state in my
art, and at one hundred and then, every dot and every stroke
will be as though alive. Those of you who live long enough, bear
witness that these words of mine prove not false. Told by Gakyō
Rōjin Manji (This translation from Henry Smith, One Hundred
Views of Mount Fuji, (New York, 1999), p.7.)
He clearly saw the One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji as the
beginning of a new phase in his artistic career and thereby The art historian Jack Hillier (1912–1995) praised the One
awarded himself a new artist’s name of Manji and signed zen Hundred Views of Mount Fuji as Hokusai’s “masterwork” and
Hokusai Iitsu aratame Gakyōrōjin Manji [Old Man Mad about further states that “it [One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji]
Painting]. Manji is also the same reading as the swastika was to sum up his artistic philosophy and practice.” In this
(Manji), the giver of life and fortune. With this manifesto, he work, Hokusai, indeed, returned to several of the themes that
declares his longing for perfection and immortality. He was no had fascinated him for years, including Mount Fuji, waves,
longer just Iitsu Hokusai [formerly Hokusai]. craftsmen in motion. This set of three albums depicting Mount
Fuji from place to place, from various angels truly manifests
the genuine and immortal effect of Hokusai.
For a detailed description of each album see, Jack Hillier and
F.W. Dickens, One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji by Hokusai:
Fugaku Hyaku-kei, (London, 1958).; Jack Hillier, The Art of
Hokusai in Book Illustration, (California, 1980), pp. 214-225.
For a similar example in the collection of the Museum of
Fine Arts, Boston, accession no. 1997.811.1-2. go to: https://
collections.mfa.org/objects/334906.
£ 50,000-70,000
€ 56,500-79,000 US$ 62,500-87,000

NO LOT 16