Schetsen van Hokusai - deel 2 1878

Curator: These are "Sketches by Hokusai - part 2", dating back to 1878. The artist, Katsushika Hokusai, is well-regarded for his woodblock prints in the ukiyo-e style, and this piece resides here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: It's strikingly minimalist. The muted yellow cover, the vertical text... almost austere, until you look closely at the woven paper texture. Curator: Indeed. The context is vital. Hokusai's work had a huge impact, shaping Western perceptions of Japanese aesthetics and influencing movements like Japonism. He represents a bridge between cultures and eras. Editor: A bridge built with carefully crafted paper and ink. Woodblock printing is itself an intensely laborious process. Considering how accessible these prints eventually became, it's easy to forget the sheer skill and material investment involved. Curator: His impact on the socio-political role of art is enormous too. Woodblock prints allowed for relatively inexpensive art ownership and widespread distribution, challenging the idea of art as exclusive to the wealthy elite. This accessibility contributed to art becoming more integrated into the daily lives of the public. Editor: You are right; consider the wood and the dye used in the making; everything sourced locally, contributing to regional economies... these works are testaments to materiality but also the societal context of consumption and distribution. The quality, from the choice of paper to the precision of the carving, tells you how valued the craft was within its society. Curator: Hokusai’s style, while refined, was not necessarily geared to an upper-class audience but aimed to broaden taste; there is that political dimension too of shaping popular consciousness through images. Editor: I see those seams holding the covers together, thinking of the hands involved in producing this very book, reflecting labor and distribution, everything feeding back into an artistic process... the materials whisper of trade, of skill, and of societal values. Curator: The museum showing and safeguarding a cultural record. Now I realize this sketch’s role. It continues engaging in shaping an international view of a distinct era. Editor: Absolutely; what’s old will become useful once more. Thanks!