Juvenile Instructions of the Boy Monju (Chigo monju osana kyokun)
- Date:
- 1801
- Medium:
- Woodblock-printed book; loose plates
- Format:
- Oban
- Source:
- Art Institute of Chicago
Typical Price
- Later reprint or reproduction (20th-century): $50–$300
- Good later impression (Edo-period): $1,000–$5,000
- Good early impression (vivid color, legible detail): $5,000–$20,000
- Fine early impression (exceptional color and condition): $20,000–$60,000
Hokusai's genre scenes, bijin-ga (beautiful women), and miscellaneous subjects represent the breadth of his career across more than seven decades. The market for non-landscape Hokusai prints has strengthened as collectors seek beyond the most famous designs.
Description
Chigo Monju — the bodhisattva of wisdom appearing in the guise of a sacred temple page boy — is the didactic protagonist of this 1801 woodblock-printed book providing moral instruction for children. The format follows a well-established Edo-period genre of illustrated moral texts, and Hokusai's contribution shows his engagement with the popular educational publishing that reached households throughout Japan.
More Prints by Katsushika Hokusai
The Fishermen of Katase Hauling in Their Nets: The Purple Shell (Murasakigai)
1821
Color woodblock print with metallic pigments; surimono shikishiban
Burdock Root (Kurama gobo), from the series "A Selection of Horses (Uma-zukushi)"
1822
Color woodblock print; shikishiban, surimono
Horse Shells (Umagai), from the series "A Selection of Horses (Uma-zukushi)"
1822
Color woodblock print; shikishiban, surimono
Orange Orchids, from an untitled series of flowers
c. 1832
Color woodblock print; oban
More Children Prints
Frequently Asked Questions
Juvenile Instructions of the Boy Monju (Chigo monju osana kyokun) was created by Katsushika Hokusai (葛飾北斎) in 1801.
Juvenile Instructions of the Boy Monju (Chigo monju osana kyokun) depicts children and daily life.