Transmitting the Spirit and Revealing the Form of Things- Hokusai's Sketchbooks 1878

Curator: Looking at this image, I am immediately struck by the aged quality of the paper, it is delicate, seemingly brittle, and tells the story of time, wear, and careful handling. The thin font hints at a past era of typography. Editor: Indeed. What we have here is an 1878 print by Katsushika Hokusai, residing at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, called 'Transmitting the Spirit and Revealing the Form of Things - Hokusai’s Sketchbooks'. Curator: Hokusai’s sketchbooks. That makes it feel so intimate. I’m imagining the artist’s hand sketching within those pages, ideas bubbling up like ink on paper. Editor: And the tangible presence of paper, both as drawing support, print medium, and even “homemade paper”, suggests Hokusai's connection to artisanal craft traditions and a direct involvement in production and the consumption of art in Edo-era Japan. Curator: Absolutely. Knowing this is a woodblock print brings another layer. It emphasizes the labour and skill involved. Each line carefully etched and printed. I appreciate the intersection of "high art" and traditional "craft." Do you notice the orientalism here? Editor: You raise an important point, particularly as woodblock-prints democratized art production in Japan during that time. One might consider how these images facilitated the flow of ideas. In addition, how they affected foreign and domestic perception of labor, and craftwork production within that country’s social hierarchies. Curator: I love that; it provides the impression of flipping through pages and seeing a lifetime of artistic observation. It captures that sensation of artistic discovery that everyone can connect with! What a fascinating insight to conclude on; thank you. Editor: And thank you; it’s been enlightening exploring the artistic method behind its visual manifestation!