Visiting Atago Shrine
c. 1790
Before he painted the famous Great Wave, a young Hokusai—signing his work as 'Shunro'—was busy capturing the humorous side of Edo life. In this lively illustration titled 'Visiting Atago Shrine,' a tall, slender swordsman leans back in a dramatic swoon, hand pressed to his forehead as if completely overwhelmed, perhaps by the steep climb to the shrine. His seated companion looks up with a hand over their mouth, seemingly stifling a giggle at the theatrics. The scene likely illustrates a comic poem, showcasing the artist's early talent for expressive, quirky characters long before he became a landscape master.
- Technique
- Woodblock print
- Material
- Paper
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