Parodie van de goden Daikoku en Benten c. 1890 - 1900

Katsushika Hokusai created this woodblock print, "Parody of the Gods Daikoku and Benten," to humorously engage with Japanese folklore. Made during the Edo period, a time of relative peace and flourishing arts, Hokusai often depicted daily life and popular culture, infusing his work with wit and social commentary. Here, Hokusai reimagines the deities Daikoku, god of wealth, and Benten, goddess of music and eloquence, as everyday figures. Instead of portraying them in traditional, revered poses, he places them in a domestic setting, attended to by another figure, possibly a servant or a companion, blurring the lines between the sacred and the mundane. The artist's decision to represent deities in such a familiar context offers a playful critique of social hierarchies. Hokusai's work invites us to consider the fluid nature of identity and the ways in which cultural icons can be reinterpreted and humanized through art.