Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849)

Hokusai produced his very first print in 1779 at the age of twenty. It was an actor print in the hosoban format signed Katsukawa Shunro. He built his career by creating more actor prints but was mainly active as a book illustrator.Hokusai also produced paintings throughout his life and his works surpassed those of other ukiyo-e masters in terms of both quality and quantity. He began to draw designs for large, single-sheet prints after the age of seventy. At this time he also started to produce landscape and flowers and birds prints; late in life he did however again concentrate on book illustrations and paintings. In summary Hokusai can be said to have contributed greatly to the field of ukiyo-e in a variety of ways.