Question 1

True or false: Hokusai's iconic 'The Great Wave' was actually part of a series about Mount Fuji.

Accepted Answer

True. It's from 'Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji,' and the wave's foam forms a subtle mountain shape in the background.

Question 2

True or false: Hokusai died in poverty, forgotten by the art world before his death.

Accepted Answer

False. He was commercially successful throughout his life, though his fame fluctuated. He was hardly forgotten.

Question 3

True or false: The 'Great Wave' was Hokusai's final print, created just before his death at age 90.

Accepted Answer

False. He produced art until his death, but 'The Great Wave' was made decades earlier, around 1831.

Question 4

True or false: Hokusai invented the modern tattoo style known as 'Irezumi,' inspiring Western body art.

Accepted Answer

False. His woodblock prints influenced tattoo motifs, but Irezumi predates him by centuries in Japan.

Question 5

True or false: Hokusai once painted two sparrows on a single grain of rice to demonstrate his precision.

Accepted Answer

True. He famously painted tiny sparrows on a rice grain to win a bet with a rival artist about fine detail work.

Question 6

True or false: Hokusai’s daughter was also a celebrated painter, though she worked under a male pseudonym.

Accepted Answer

True. Katsushika Ōi was a skilled artist in her own right, often signing as 'Ei' to navigate gender barriers.

Question 7

True or false: Hokusai changed his name over 30 times during his career, each marking a new artistic phase.

Accepted Answer

True. He used at least 30 pseudonyms, like Shunrō and Taito, often after major life events or style shifts.

Question 8

True or false: Hokusai's 'The Great Wave' was originally printed in vibrant color, not just blue and white.

Accepted Answer

False. Early prints were monochrome (blue ink only). Bright color editions came later from different publishers.

Katsushika Hokusai Trivia Questions