Primary sourceBook1845

The Life of Shakyamuni Illustrated

Katsushika Hokusai · 1845

A late illustrated book by Hokusai from 1845 depicting the life of the Buddha, reflecting his religious interests in old age.

Hokusai illustrated this 1845 life of the Buddha near the end of his life, showing his religious interests.

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Front cover of a Japanese bound book with a red-orange cloth-textured cover. A dark rectangular title label on the left bears vertical black brush-written Japanese characters, and a small white catalogue label reading 331 is at the lower right. The book lies flat against a pale grey background. — Katsushika Hokusai, The Life of Shakyamuni Illustrated, 1845. Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this source

What it is

Shaka goichidaiki zue, or The Life of Shakyamuni Illustrated, is a picture book with illustrations by Katsushika Hokusai, published in 1845. A copy is held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Why it matters

Made near the end of Hokusai's long life, the book illustrates the life of the Buddha (Shakyamuni), reflecting his personal religious interests in his later years. It shows that Hokusai's art was not only about landscapes and everyday life but also engaged with Buddhist belief and storytelling that shaped Japanese culture.

Look closer

Why might an artist turn to religious subjects late in his career?
What might the careful cover design and labelling tell you about how this book was treated as an object?
What does this book add to your picture of Hokusai that his landscape prints do not show?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Hokusai on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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