Born in Edo period, Hokusai was a disciple of Shunsho Katsukawa. He also studied painting under Kano school, and even learned the western technique, too. The sphere of his paintings, therefore, was so wide, free and bold because of his vigorous energy and undaunted spirit. He really brandished painting brushes like a supermen. His eccentric manner of living surprised the people of that time. For example, he changed his residence more than 100 times in his life, never showed any interest in saving money or accumulating a fortune. He was content with honest poverty throughout his life.
In Hokusai”Ēs paintings you can see a lot of movements. All the beautiful women and the figures in his landscape pictures show an action. It is said that his depiction of landscapes is too exaggerated (like the size of Mt. Fuji in his design), but these are all based upon a well-devised plan, which no other painter can imitate. His designs really surprised the people of those days, not only in Japan but in Europe too. Hokusai's vivid expression in his prints influenced many of the European artists.
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