Katsushika Hokusai
Clear autumn weather in Chōkō from the series »Eight Views of the Ryūkyū Islands«, 1832
About the object
The print originates from the Hokusai series - only a few copies of which are extant - featuring views of the of Ryukyu Kingdom, now Okinawa, an island group located between the Japanese main islands and China. The economy had flourished in the centuries-old independent kingdom thanks to its favourable location along international sea routes and the brisk trade it enjoyed as a result. However, a Japanese warlord conquered the kingdom in 1609. Nevertheless, the kingdom's cultural independence survived in art, customs, dress and language.