Various Pictures by Hokusai (Hokusai soga 北斎麁画) 1820

This book illustration titled “Various Pictures by Hokusai” was made by Katsushika Hokusai in 19th century Japan. The image brings together naturalistic landscape and stylized design. Hokusai lived during the Edo period, which was a time of economic growth, strict social order, and relative peace under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate. Woodblock prints like this one became popular as a form of mass media, accessible to a broad audience and it reflects a growing interest in landscape and travel. Hokusai's work often challenged artistic conventions. "Various Pictures" moves away from traditional, idealized landscapes toward more realistic depictions. His keen observation of the natural world and innovative compositions reflect the changing social conditions of the time. Art historians draw on a range of sources to study art like this, from economic data about book production to the travelogues of the period.