Katsushika+Hokusai

__ ** Katsushika Hokusai ** __ Group Members: Logan N and Jacob V First Impressions/Editing/Formatting/Bibliography by Jacob V, Actual Meaning/Biography by Logan N  Other Citations (Including Pictures) at the end

= The Great Wave =

First Impressions:
It looks two ships caught up in a storm are being harassed by waves far larger than even their ships. You can see what looks like people on the ships kind of scattered around in the chaos with an ominous white cloud in the background that looks almost smoky like a gas. It also looks like there are people lying on top of each of the ships, almost motionless. Did those people die in the storm, or are they taking a strange safety precaution? There is also a mountain in the background. I feel like a parallel between the wave and the Mountain is being drawn, because they are mostly the same colors and look similar. Also, it looks like there is a caption on the picture, but is written in Japanese so I cannot understand it. Is it the artists signature maybe?

Actual Meaning:
The real meaning of the The Great Wave painting is that it shows the irresistible forces of nature and the boas as the weakness in humans. Hokusai used a dark blue pigment for the waves that he got imported from England to China and what he painted on was a 39 cm by 26cm small woodblock print that was thin to paint on and was sturdy to last. Mount Fuji is a symbol of stillness and eternity which is a symbol of Japan and was a sacred object that held the beliefs of Japan. The boats are fishing boats which are showing He also used a European style mix that he learned from his stay in Europe with his to create his painting and the Mt. Fuji in the background.

Red Fuji/Fine Wind, Clear Morning


First Impressions:
This painting looks like a reddish-black mountain (Dirt probably) with trees covering the lowest portion of the mountain. The scale on this is very zoomed out, since the trees look minuscule compared to the mountain. There must be thousands of the trees, and what is really incredible is that when zooming in you can see a lot of detail on the trees (although some of it is lost). There is also a very blue sky (Although in the corners you see it getting darker) and there is also dozens of perfectly horizontal and nearly identical clouds.

Actual Meaning:
Alongside with the Great Wave this is one of the most famous of his paintings. The mountain was given a meaning, Gaifu kaisei witch means breeze of may and bright sky. Red Fuji painting is the second one in the Thirty Six Views of Mt Fuji series which consist more of Hokusai greatest works of art. In this one he used more outlines to show the size on the mountain and an eastern art style to paint it.There are a couple of main components that make this one of Hokusai great arts. The mountain for the sky and the thick tree to show earth and the could to show wind. Giving it the name of Fine Wind Clear Morning.

(Rainstorm/Shower) Beneath the Summit


First impressions:
The lower half of the painting is almost completely covered in black, except for a few areas that stand out as distinctly a bright red or scarlet color, almost like magma glowing beneath a volcano. Above that there is a bit of greenery on the left side of the painting, and then it directly transitions into the base of the mountain, with snow on top. There is almost cartoony looking clouds (Especially when compared to Hokusai's clouds in other drawings. The dark tint covers almost the entire bottom part, and there are even still hints of it going above ground too. Giving a more sinister feel to the picture.

Actual Meaning:
The shower below the summit is the third in the thirty six views of Mt. Fuji series. This is showing how Mt. Fuji used to be like in 1707 when it was still an active volcano. In the painting the Mountain you see there is a volcano and showing the disasters that come with it. This painting he also used woodblock print and the usual dark pigment of paint for the landscape views. The Jagged lines near the base of the mountain are a symbol of lighting and chaos. This is also a part of the ten additional the views of Mt. Fuji. The series is thirty-six views but there is actually forty-six. The extra ten come from the vantage points that are painted from the mountain itself.

= Biography/His Life: = <span style="background-color: rgba(0,0,0,0); color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Hokusai’s life was a realty peaceful one. He didn't start painting till he was 6. When he was 14 he went to work for a wood-shop where he learned how to make wood blocks that allowed him to do the art he did later in his life. Hokusai started just carving and framing he didn't start selling art till he was older. After a few years he left his home to explore the world and to see the famous Mt. Fuji that we now see today in his works. On his way there he had a total of over 50 pupils that would pass on his teachings. As he got older he was searching for the true meaning of art. At the age of 55 Hokusai took a trip to the edge of Europe where he studied European art and culture for 2 years, he also took many trips around Asia in his artistic quest. He lived a very long life considering the time, and he would paint over 100 different views of Mt. Fuji. His best work would become the Thirty-Six Views of Mt. Fuji series and his teaching were pass onto the next generation for his legacy continue in them as the keep on adding to the views of Mt Fuji.

=Reflection:= <span style="background-color: rgba(0,0,0,0); color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If there is one thing I want people to know about our artist and his work is that they are all based around Mt. Fuji because they believe the Mountain is a god or their protector. This drove him to make his most famous series of art called the thirty six views of Mt Fuji. The views contain The Great Wave and Red Fuji witch are some of his most famous work of his time. Hokusai always wanted to capture the peace of that is Mount Fuji. (Logan)

<span style="background-color: rgba(0,0,0,0); color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If there is one thing I want people to know about our artist and his work is that they are all based around Mt. Fuji because they believe the Mountain is a god or their protector. This drove him to make his most famous series of art called the thirty six views of Mt Fuji. The views contain The Great Wave and Red Fuji witch are some of his most famous work of his time. Hokusai always wanted to capture the peace of that is Mount Fuji. (Logan)

<span style="background-color: rgba(0,0,0,0); color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If I could ask him any question I would ask him one of two questions. From a pure research standpoint I would ask how did he die, as our research never really told us how he died, just that he did, and what he did later on in his life. If I could ask a more personal question, it would’ve been “What would you have painted next and why,”. The world is always a changing place, and I think it's interesting to think what might’ve happened. (Jacob)

<span style="background-color: rgba(0,0,0,0); color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I think that our strongest section is shower beneath the summit. I think this because I think we perfectly describe Mt. Fuji and the lavaish glow of the now-dormant volcano. Most of our analysis backs up to the real meaning in that example. In our first impressions, we mention the sinister feel of the painting’s lower half and the red-magma, which is another detail that holds up. It’s almost poetic, how above the lower half the day looks peaceful, cartoony clouds and all, but below, its nothing but chaos. (Jacob)

<span style="background-color: rgba(0,0,0,0); color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I would say our weakest section is the analysis of Red Fuji because it mostly describes just the art techniques and what the picture has. It doesn’t really dive into a deep analysis of the meaning of each item. Although there are some elements we describe to give it a deeper meaning (Clouds being wind, etc.) there really isn't a whole lot that we do. (Jacob)

Bibliography (Works Cited):
https://goo.gl/GjjAqw