Hokkei | Comic Poems Ancient and Modern, Yosumi bijin

Totoya Hokkei (1780–1850)

From fish seller to printmaker.

Totoya Hokkei was born in Akasaka in Edo to a family of fishmongers in 1780 and took up his ancestors’ trade before his obvious talents led him to study painting in the Kano School. Eventually, he left painting to pursue print-making, studying with Hokusai. In time, along with Hokuju, he’d become one of the master’s most successful and well-known students.

Hokkei’s dramatic and forceful lines echo those of Hokusai, although often on a smaller scale. That’s because Hokkei became one of the premier designers of surimono, privately produced Ukiyoe. Given as gifts on auspicious occasions, these prints’ diminutive size did not subtract from their elegant designs and often luxurious, intricate production.

Hokusai’s style is evident in many of Hokkei’s works, but nonetheless they are clearly his own. Several powerful and ominous views of Mount Fuji, for example, have strong echoes of the master. In all, Hokkei produced more than 800 surimono, many of them extraordinarily creative.

Hokkei also produced quite a few books, including sketchbooks reminiscent of Hokusai’s manga, but relatively few full-sized prints.

He died in 1850 at age 70.