"Sharaku Kai Hokusai" - A pamphlet that explores the true identity of the mysterious artist

Who was Sharaku?

Sharaku Toshusai is an artist whose birth and death dates are unknown and who was active for only 10 months. More than 30 people have been named as candidates for his true identity, including Hokusai, Utamaro, Toyokuni, and Shiba Kokan. This book, "Sharaku Kai Hokusai," is a unique book that pursues the "Sharaku = Hokusai theory" in the most logical and passionate way.

While delving into the systems of Edo-period publishers and craftsmen, the book carefully examines why Hokusai worked under the name "Sharaku" only during this period and sealed his name, examining records of his name change, his seal, family stories, and even painting techniques. In particular, the prayer and atonement from father to son hidden in the artist name "Sharaku," and the metaphor of the "mirror" symbolized by the black mica print, strike a deep chord with readers.

--This is not an attempt to overturn conventional wisdom in art history.
It is an additional perspective that sheds light on the pride of Edo artisans and allows viewers to enjoy the culture of ukiyo-e on a fuller level.

For those interested in ukiyo-e and Edo culture, and those who are drawn to the "stories" surrounding art.
Your image of Sharaku may be quietly repainted.

About this book

A research book on Hokusai written in 1989 (Heisei 1) by Nakamura Kimitaka, one of Japan's leading ukiyo-e collectors and a Hokusai researcher.
Hokusai changed his name many times, but there is a pattern to this. We will look into the mystery of Sharaku by comparing him with other artists that we noticed while collecting ukiyo-e.
Contains 56 illustrations, including 7 color plates and representative works by Hokusai at the time of his signature.

table of contents
[Sharaku Kai Hokusai] reveals the mystery of the legendary painter Sharaku

• Mystery 1: Why don't we know his birth, history, or even his common name?
• Mystery 2: Why was the drawing period limited to just ten months?
• Mystery 3: Why did this gorgeous mica print suddenly appear, without any period of study?
• Mystery 4: Why did he suddenly stop writing?
• Mystery 5: Why did he only release his works through the publisher Tsutaya Juzaburo?
• Mystery 6: Why did he produce 140 different works in just ten months?
• Mystery 7: Why has he been re-evaluated overseas as one of the world's three greatest portrait painters?
• Mystery 8: Why was he named Toshusai Sharaku?
• Mystery 9: Why did the seal change from Toshusai Sharaku to Sharaku along the way?
• Mystery 10: Why is the seal distorted, as if it was written with the left hand?
• Mystery 11: Why did Sharaku almost exclusively draw pictures of actors?
• Mystery 12: Why did he draw female characters but not any women?
• Mystery 13: Why did he portray Makoto so realistically even though it meant the actors hated him?

• Mystery 14: Why did he depict not only popular actors but also supporting actors?

• Chapter 1: Why Sharaku is a different artist
• Chapter 2 Why Hokusai?
• Chapter 3: Main Discussion Why did Hokusai call himself Sharaku?
• Section 1: On Hokusai's name change
• Section 2: Hokusai has given up on being an artist.
• Section 3 Hokusai called himself Sharaku.
• Section 4 Sharaku is a mirror.
• Section 5 Sharaku disappeared with the death of his eldest son.

Bibliographic information