Hokusai (1760-1849) had one of the longest, most varied, and most interesting careers of any of the Japanese woodblock print artists. His designs "Red Fuji" and "The Great Wave" from the '36 Views of Fuji' are still extremely popular today. Although Hokusai is best remembered for his large landscape series, much of his best work was in the surimono genre. The 53 Stations on the Tokaido designed by Hiroshige in the early 1830s for Hoeido established the Tokaido Road as a viable commercial subject. It was not, however, the first Tokaido series. One of the earliest was a series of 51 koban and 8 long tanzaku-ban wood block prints done by Hokusai quite early in his career, in 1804. A number of these surimono-style prints can be found depicted in the Stuart Jackson Gallery Catalogue: 'Along the Tokaido'. The Hokusai series was succcesful enough (or perhaps to cash in on the popularity of the Hiroshige series) that several later editions were commercially done, the longer prints being removed so as to keep the size uniform. The long prints were replaced by koban prints designed by Hokusai's pupil Shigenobu (eg. the Nihonbashi). Several editions were produced in colour (as here), black and white, and at least one Meiji period edition was issued (see the Shono). Each print is signed Gakyojin Hokusai ga (except for the Nihonbashi and which was designed by Shigenobu) in the upper right hand cartouche. Impressions vary from very good to good, colors are uniformly very good and are (with the exception of the variant Shono) are from the 1821 edition. Most have binding holes, and some minor rubbing generally near the bottom left. Other condition comments as noted .
Nihonbashi 1st Station Sadanobu (Unsigned) $sold	Kanagawa 1.25 ri to Hodogaya Gakyojin Hokusai ga $sold
(Uiro Seller at) Odawara Gakyojin Hokusai ga $sold	(Boys on water buffalo near) Mishima Gakyojin Hokusai ga $sold
(Boys ignoring job of raking leaves at) Numazu Gakyojin Hokusai ga $sold	Okabe Gakyojin Hokusai ga $sold
Maisaka Gakyojin Hokusai ga small spot $900 - reserved	Akasaka Gakyojin Hokusai ga $sold
Shono Some spots Gakyojin Hokusai ga $sold	Shono Slight overall dirt. Meiji edition sold
Kameyama 1.5 Ri to Seki Gakyojin Hokusai ga $sold	(Daikoku-ya Rock at) Seki Gakyojin Hokusai ga Some stains $sold
(Ebi-zu rock at) Sakanoshita 1.5 Ri to Tsuchiyama Gakyojin Hokusai ga $sold	(Cutting Spices at Megawa Village near) Kusatsu 3.67 Ri from Otsu Gakyojin Hokusai ga $sold

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