Artwork
Sketches
Sketches is a paint painting by the Ukiyo-e artist Katsushika School. It dates from 1800 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
This sheet features unsigned, loose figural sketches in the distinctive style of Katsushika Hokusai, cut out and collated on a single page, showcasing quick, practice drawings.
Subject & Meaning
The sketches depict various figures, characterized by loose ink lines conveying motion, such as tilted heads and flowing robes, serving as functional guides rather than aesthetic pieces.
Technique & Style
Executed in Hokusai's recognizable style, the sketches feature light, dynamic lines emphasizing movement over refinement, typical of preliminary works for ukiyo-e production.
History & Provenance
Originally created as the basis for copyists' drawings to inform woodblock print production, these sketches align with Hokusai's practice of grouping similar subjects in sketchbooks and manuals.
Context
These sketches reflect the preparatory stage in ukiyo-e woodblock print production, where such drawings were used to create the initial block designs.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
A late-Edo print shop known as the Katsushika School produced crowd-pleasing sketches that travelers could tuck into their sleeves.
