The meaning of 「富士越龍図」(Dragon over Mt. Fuji)

Hokusai’s later years artwork

The great painter and woodblock printmaker Katsushika Hokusai died April 18th, 1849. He was 90 years old at the time. According to the record, 

翁 死に臨み大息し 天我をして十年の命を長らわしめば といい 暫くして更に言いて曰く
天我をして五年の命を保たしめば 真正の画工となるを得（う）べし と言吃りて死す

‘On his deathbed, he breathed deeply and said “If the heaven let me live ten more years…”, then continued after a while “If the heaven let me preserve my life five more years, I could become a real artist.”‘

www.masterpiece-of-japanese-culture.com

Katsushika Hokusai:biography, facts, art, and museums

Katsushika Hokusai who created the famous great wave painting Katsushika Hokusai self portraitKatsushika Hokusai must be the most famous Japanese woodblock printing (ukiyo-e) artist around the world. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || ).push({});His art works of images including The Great Off Kanagawa (The Great Wave) and other prints of "Thirty-Six Views of Mount. Fuji" influenced Western artists Vincent van Gogh, Edgar Degas and Henri Rivière.   His printmaking works s…

Dragon and Mt. Fuji

Hokusai drew “Dragon over Mt. Fuji” in the same year when he died. The painting is the (almost?) last artwork for him. A dragon with black clouds goes over Mt. Fuji and fly high. That meant a success of a carrier. 

He might have identified with the dragon. Above all, the geometrical mountain was special landscape for him. The big hit of “Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji” made him firmly establish the place in the world of ukiyo-e woodblock printing.

www.masterpiece-of-japanese-culture.com

Katsushika Hokusai's "Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji" ukiyo-e prints

"Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji"(富嶽三十六景）and the most popular ukiyo-e artworks The Great Wave Off Kanagawa by Katsushika HokusaiKatsushika Hokusai(1760-1849), who was one of the most active ukiyo-e artists in Edo Period, accomplished a series of "Fugaku Sanjurokkei"(Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji) in early 18th century.    The garalley of "Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji"  Though nobody knows the exact production period, it seemed fr…

We can hear the voice of Hokusai that he wished to live a little longer for the completion of the art technique.

“Dragon over Mt. Fuji”

Year:1849

Sign:九十老人卍

Size:95.5×36.2cm

Own:Hokusaikan