Artwork
Lotus Root and Spatterdocks
Lotus Root and Spatterdocks 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
Overview
Created in the early nineteenth century, this work by Katsushika Hokusai depicts a cross‑section of a lotus root floating in murky water, accompanied by three spatterdock flowers. The composition is part of a set of seven paintings that were bound together in an album, illustrating the artist’s later focus on painted subjects rather than his earlier print designs.
Subject & Meaning
The central motif is a lotus root sliced to reveal its star‑shaped cavities, the pale interior contrasting sharply with the surrounding dark water. Adjacent to the root, three spatterdock blossoms display bright yellow petals, their presence adding a subtle note of seasonal flora and emphasizing the interplay of light and shadow within a natural setting.
Technique & Style
Hokusai applies his characteristic bold line work to the painted surface, rendering the root’s edges and the water’s surface with clear, decisive strokes. The use of a limited palette, creamy whites against deep browns, enhances the visual impact, while the precise rendering of the spatterdock petals reflects the same clarity found in his celebrated woodblock prints.
History & Provenance
The painting belongs to a group of seven works that Hokusai assembled in an album format, a practice common among Japanese artists for private collections. Although the album’s original owner is unknown, the pieces have been documented as part of the artist’s later oeuvre, marking a period when he increasingly turned to painting as a primary medium.
Context
During the early 1800s, Hokusai was already renowned for his prolific print series, yet he continued to explore painted subjects, often focusing on botanical and everyday themes. This work reflects the broader Edo‑period interest in detailed natural studies, while also showcasing the artist’s transition from commercial printmaking to more intimate, hand‑crafted artworks.
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.
