Reproduction of a 19th-century Japanese woodcut (ukiyo-e) by the artist Totoya Hokkei (1780–1850). “Shells” or sometimes “Kai Awase (Comparison of Shells)”

This is a reproduction of a 19th-century Japanese woodcut (ukiyo-e) by the artist Totoya Hokkei (1780–1850). He was one of the most talented pupils of the famous artist. This strongly resembles a Japanese print from the Edo period featuring shell studies, most likely by Katsushika Hokusai.

• The work is often referred to as “Shells” or sometimes “Kai Awase (Shell Comparison)”, although several variants exist and the exact title is not always unambiguous.
• Detailed illustrations of various shells (a typical nature study subject in Japanese art) Handwritten Japanese text (often descriptions, poetry, or names of the shells)
• A minimalist composition with much empty space — characteristic of Japanese aesthetics
• Artist: Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849), famous for, among others,
• The Great Wave off Kanagawa Style: Ukiyo-e (Japanese woodblock print)
• Period: Edo period (17th–19th century)
• Theme: Nature studies and object observation, often with scientific and aesthetic precision