Artwork
Crabs
Crabs is a paint painting by the Japonisme artist Katsushika Hokusai. It dates from 1808 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
He’s best known for woodblock prints like The Great Wave, but this quiet album page shows his skill in ink and paper too.
Two crabs sit side by side on a rock under pale moonlight. Their shells gleam with careful red lines against a dark wash. One crab faces left, the other right, mirrored but not quite the same.
Hokusai painted this in 1808. He’s best known for woodblock prints like The Great Wave, but this quiet album page shows his skill in ink and paper too.
It feels alive, like the crabs might scuttle off the page. See more like this at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Overview
Crabs is a painting by Katsushika Hokusai, created in 1808, featuring two crabs seated on a rock under moonlight. It is one of seven paintings by the artist included in an album.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts two crabs in a nocturnal setting, their shells meticulously detailed with red lines against a dark background. The crabs face opposing directions, creating a sense of mirrored individuality.
Technique & Style
Executed in ink on paper, the work showcases Hokusai's proficiency in traditional Japanese mediums beyond his renowned woodblock prints, emphasizing subtle texture and contrast.
History & Provenance
Originally part of an album containing seven of Hokusai's paintings, 'Crabs' is now part of the collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Katsushika Hokusai spent his life in Edo, now Tokyo, where he drew and carved prints for a living.
