Once Upon a Time (Mukashi mukashi)
- Medium:
- Woodblock print
- Format:
- Oban
- Source:
- Art Institute of Chicago
Description
Mukashi mukashi — "Once upon a time" — is the traditional opening phrase of Japanese folk narratives, suggesting this print served as a frontispiece or title page to an illustrated tale or kana-zoshi story collection. The subject situates Hokusai within the broad tradition of Edo popular fiction illustration that ran parallel to his print and sketchbook work throughout his career.
More Prints by Katsushika Hokusai
Hokusai manga (Hokusai Sketchbooks)
19th century
Woodblock-printed book; ink and light color on paper
Fukuroi
1804
Japanese woodblock print
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
More Figures Prints
Featured in Collections
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Frequently Asked Questions
Once Upon a Time (Mukashi mukashi) was created by Katsushika Hokusai (葛飾北斎).
Once Upon a Time (Mukashi mukashi) depicts figures and mythology.