Reisalbum van Hokusai c. 1835 - 1878

Curator: Presenting to you “Reisalbum van Hokusai,” a drawing and print album made on paper sometime between 1835 and 1878 by Katsushika Hokusai. Editor: It looks like a closed book, simple and quite aged, perhaps, a bit worn, really. The orangey paper radiates a certain warmth despite its unassuming exterior. Curator: Absolutely, the bookmaking process here is key; it’s a Japanese-style album, revealing Hokusai's hands-on approach. Consider how the thread-bound pages function, both structurally and aesthetically, showing labor involved in its creation, a tangible link to Hokusai's artistic practice, where traditional high art encounters the accessible form of the print. Editor: Beyond the method, though, there's a symbolic weight. The closed book can represent hidden knowledge, the potential for stories waiting to be told. Ukiyo-e often captures ephemeral moments, the fleeting beauty of the everyday. Could this be about the memories of his travels, his way of holding onto the passing moments? Curator: Interesting observation. I agree Ukiyo-e are glimpses into another world, reflecting a shift in consumer culture that moved art from elites into commercial society. Now, look closer at the paper itself: you see the texture and slight imperfections, testaments to the material’s age and how time and the very making of the art contributes to the stories it can tell. Editor: And the script… It must give the context of the artist. I can't read it but its presence feels talismanic almost, as if its existence is protecting the imagery within. Curator: Indeed! It's remarkable to reflect that the book, like the art itself, embodies resilience and has the capability to preserve. I wonder about Hokusai's original intentions, creating the book for knowledge or for the craft itself. Editor: Maybe a bit of both? Well, either way, I have a feeling there’s more than meets the eye beyond the cover.