KATSUSHIKA; HOKUSAI
1760 - 1849
Two Heads with Reed.

Edo period. 1847. Paint on silk. 32;8 x 54;3 cm. In his last years Hokusai tried to pass all his knowledge and skills to the next generation. In this period several masterful paintings emerged; which were mainly concerned with religious topics as Hokusai felt his time had come. In this painting he copes with death in a morbid way by showing the freshly cut off heads of two criminals; with bloodlined eyes and ears in a realistic manner. Both are attached to reed by a rope and lying on the ground. In his work "Ehon saishikitsu" (About the use of paint) from 1848 Hokusai explains to his students the structure of paint by means of the feathers of a falcon (vol. 1; p. 6). Here he begins with the brightest colour and gradually gets darker. Thereby five to ten different shades are being used in order to realise the compley depths of the feather; or as here the hair. Also in the structure of the reed with dark blue and bright emphasis in white lead or the flowing colour gradient from deep green to bright yellow of the already decaying leaves Hokusai demonstrates his mastership; which was perfected in old age. Sign.: Hachij鹔achi r鬸in manji hitsu (Painted by 88 year old Manji). Seal: Momo (Hundred). Condition B.

Provenance:
-Private collection Southern Germany.

Assesment:
-Matthi Forrer; Leyden; October 2014 (enclosed).

Literature:
-Goncourt; Edmond de: Hokousai. L'art japonais au XVIIIe si鑓le. Paris 1896. He mentions this painting from a not specifically named collection on p. 279.

-Forrer; Matthi: Hokusai. Siebold & Hokusai and his Tradition. T鬹y?2007. Cp. p. 265;
ill. 208; cut-off head of a woman; in the Tekisuikan Cultural Collection in Kashiwa;
Japan.

One further; similar painting by Hokusai from 1842 is known; as well as from his student Hokuyou; formerly in the Honma Collection.
Art trade; Van Ham.