Hotei
by Ogata Gekko
- Medium:
- Woodblock print
- Format:
- Oban
- Source:
- Museum of Applied Arts, Vienna
Typical Price
$500–$8,000. Common subjects: $500–$1,500. Key value factors: Gekko's prolific output makes most of his work affordable. Quality varies significantly.
Description
Hotei—the laughing monk with his enormous cloth bag, one of Japan's Seven Lucky Gods—was among the most popular and cheerful subjects in Japanese popular art. His enormous belly, his wide smile, the children that typically swarm around him, and the inexhaustible bag from which he dispensed good fortune all gave Gekko rich material for a festive composition. Hotei's Chinese Chan Buddhist origins had been thoroughly naturalized in Japanese popular religion, making him a figure of accessible, undemanding benevolence.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Hotei was created by Ogata Gekko (尾形月耕).
Hotei depicts figures, mythology, and children.