Katsushika Hokusai (葛飾北斎), (1760–1849).

Original plate from the album, "Shaka Goichidaiki Zue" [Life of Shakyamuni Illustrated]", 1845.

Woodblock print on fine paper, (sheet) 25.5 x 17.7 cm.

Condition: strong impression showing minimal wear to the plate. The sheet has stab-binding holes on the left (as published) and has mellow age-toning appropriate to its date of publication.

I am selling this visually arresting and original Hokusai woodblock print for AU$104 (currently US$75.06/EUR66.89/GBP51.73 at the time of posting this print) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world.

If you are interested in purchasing this highly unusual illustration of sun rays illuminating a landscape, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This woodblock print by arguably the most renowned of all Japanese printmakers, Katsushika Hokusai, may be seen as simply an illustration in his album about the life of Shakyamuni (aka the Buddha). For me, however, the print reveals the level of creative invention and audacity of design that has made Hokusai such a revered artist. This is an artist's print for other artists. It is a visual code showing how Hokusai "solved" the problem of how to portray radiating rays of sunlight as pictorial substance.