Tengu 

"Tengu" was created by Katsushika Hokusai, who lived from 1760 to 1849, during the Edo period in Japan, a time marked by relative peace, economic growth, and a flourishing of the arts. Hokusai’s "Tengu" is a woodblock print depicting two of these legendary creatures. Tengu are part bird, part human. They are often seen as guardians of the mountains, but they can also be tricksters, reflecting complex cultural attitudes toward nature and the supernatural. Hokusai’s decision to depict Tengu is especially fascinating, given the period's social hierarchy and the artist's own outsider status. Woodblock prints were popular among the merchant class, a group gaining influence but still considered lower than the samurai or aristocracy. Hokusai's intense, busy style captures the energy and ambiguity of these figures. This resonates emotionally with anyone who has felt like they straddle different worlds or don't quite fit into established social norms. "Tengu" thus provides a glimpse into the anxieties and aspirations of a society undergoing significant transformation.