The problem is that the pictures I compared were executed at different time: Sharaku's okubi-e in 1794 and Hokusai manga in 1812.
The two artists could master the same technique if time is ripe: it happened in the case of Picasso and Matisse after Cezanne, which I called Arc-ism.
It is human nature that when a painter draws the same shape repeatedly he becomes conscious of the curvature of line and the line becomes a chain of arcs, which is easily seen in the transition of Matisse's DanceⅠto DanceⅡ．
To eliminate the possibility that Sharaku developed the technique first then Hokusai followed, it is ideal to show that Hokusai used Sharaku's technique just before becoming Sharaku.
I picked Hokusai's four pictures executed before and after the time of Sharaku.
These works are all made of smooth curves.
Well known Japanese art historian Tanaka Hidemichi wrote,"When Sharaku changed his name to Tawaraya Souri then to Kako, he stopped drawing a picture of Kabuki actors and started drawing a picture of beauties."
The picture on the right is signed as Kako but the style had been already established when Hokusai called himself Sori.
Likewise Sharaku's drawing technique must have been perfect when Hokusai was Shunro.
Disapointingly I could not find any okubi-e by late Shunro but I found his sumo-e under the influence of Sotatu.
I have no document what Hokusai learned from his new master (Sotatu of the second).
So I start from the circle-arc model of Sotatu's famous painting: [Hakuzouzu (White Elephant)],
(Circle-arc means that arcs which are the parts of the same circle.)
It is obvious that Sotatu was aware that curve is made of arcs.
The top of the shape is most eye-catching arc, which is colored red.
Now we can see that the top, the belly and the trunk are the same red.
On both sides the red top arc is followed by the light green arcs then yellow arcs.
And, on the left, followed further by light green arcs.
The arcs as the smallest units are consciously constructed.
Late Shunro(Hokusai) realised the effect of arcs in Sotatu's woorks and experimented to draw with arcs.
This sumo-e is a good example of the experiment.
Although the image has no information this work must have been executed at very late stage because the lines are, unlike Katsukawa school, almost made of arcs which shows the influence of Sotatu.
The light blue arcs are dominant. which is effective to make the body shape solid and harmonious.
And many light green arcs are intentionaly used both for the body joints and the sumo wrestler's belt ornament.
As Okubi-e is a portrait of a half of the body, the details are large enough to construct with arcs only, which is the reason why this style became purer art than the other types.
In the model hands looks like modern sculpture made of colored tubes.
Like Sotatu's elephant, the purple crown of the head is the most eye-catching part of the shape.
This circle-arc is used dominantly: the edges of shaven hair, cheek, the throat and the kimono edges; eleven as total.
The four light green arcs on the shoulder are grouped and corespond to the lower two.
The sleeve opening is solely made of orange circle-arcs.
Every part is so well planed that it is certain to say the painter was very experienced designer.
He constructed the picture with the arc units.
Most people appreciate his okubi-e as expressive portrait without noticing the effect of well structured form.
This seascape is far more interesting than famous [The great wave off Kanagawa] because of drawing method.
The largest boat in the middle is made of four types of circle-arc[orangish yellow, yellowish green, red and blue].
Each circle-arc is grouped harmoniously on different spots.
This intentional method may be called as grouped circle-arc method.
This method was also used in Sharaku style;
1) Korazo's kimono is very calmly harmonious because of the same large circle-arcs(red).
2)The wrincles in the face of Miyakoza are dipicted like waves.
When the same circle-arcs are used all over the total effect is hidden harmony and when they are grouped the effect is noticeably active .
This device can be found in Kako's painting of two beauties.
The most distinctive lines are straight lines(yellow)of the umbrella and the telescope.
There are also very effective curved lines which are the arcs of the large circle(light green).
The bridge of nose of the left woman has the same curvature as the cheek on the right, the nape on the left and the collar on the lower left.
Likewise the bridge of the right woman has the same curvature as the left woman and this is the same as the cheek, the arms ,the sleeve and collar of the left woman.
Around 1794 Hokusai tried various styles with the same inventive drawing method
,possibly using several prepared arc rulers.
[Malraux's idea of an imaginary museum, a "museum without walls" (which he first announced in 1947), is a prescient manifest of the digital age that enacts the displacement of the physical art object and the museum by photographic reproduction.]
Inevitably we are soon having all the artworks as digital image,
then we will realise that the image is artwork, not the work itself.
It was cruicial for me to find the sumo-e by Shunro to write this blog.
When we can see all the ukiyo-e works at hand it becomes clear for any viewer with good taste judgement that Sharaku's work is positioned neatly between Shunro's work and Sori's work.
Afterall Hokusai liked to change a name and the style very often.
(the reason why Sharaku's identity was unknown is explained very well in Tanaka Hidemichi's book [Sharaku is Hokusai].)
I expect that the analysis of method of composition of each work can solve many art problems like these;
1) what is the significance of (formal) modern art?
2) what is Art ?
please email me at sharshar30@gmail.com
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