Portrait of a man of noble birth with a book 

Katsushika Hokusai painted this portrait of a man of noble birth, sometime between the late 1700s and mid-1800s. Hokusai lived through the Edo period, when Japanese society was rigidly divided into classes. In this portrait, Hokusai offers a view of a member of Japan's aristocratic class. We can see his high status through his shaved head and topknot, his formal kimono, and the book he holds. During this period, reading and writing were linked to power. The man's calm expression suggests the confidence and authority associated with his social standing. Hokusai's approach to portraiture emphasizes the sitter's social role. When we study the culture and institutions of Edo period Japan, we can understand this portrait as a statement about the sitter's place in society. Careful study of the period helps us to understand how Hokusai's image creates meaning.