A collection of 103 original drawings by Hokusai has been rediscovered, part of what was essentially going to be an encyclopaedia.
The Great Picture Book of Everything was to have been a comprehensive way for the Japanese to have access to images of people, cultures and nature around the world – at a time when virtually no Japanese people had been allowed out of Japan for some two centuries – and virtually no foreigners had been allowed into 99 per cent of the country.
In that ultra-restrictive atmosphere, the project was to have given people an opportunity to explore a highly stylised printed version of the outside world as well as Japan itself.
Unfortunately it was never finished.
The project was abandoned in the 1830s – either because of cost or possibly because Hokusai insisted on reproduction standards that were difficult to attain.
You can see the entire collection at the Boston Museum of Art (link below). Some of these photos are amazing.
A few samples:
