HIDA NO TAKUMI MONOGATARI, ‘The Tale of a Craftsman from Hida’, A yomihon-style novel (reading book), in 6 volumes, written by Rokujuen (Ishikawa Masamochi – 1753–1830), illustrated by Hokusai, published in 1809 by Okada Mohei, Osaka. (See lot 84 for further details on the work). Two shita-e, sumi ink on usugami paper. DIM. 19.3 X 27.3 CM (7 5/8 X 10 3/4 IN.) . HOKUSAI: ‘The Two Sennin Preparing an Elixir’ Vol. 1, ff. 6v–7r, Published in: Orientations, ill. 2, p. 86. BAFJ, ill. 3, p. 34 It suffices to quote Bernard Rousseau regarding this shita-e: “A superb example of Hokusai’s mastery. Rarely have sensations as intangible as the power of fire, the suppleness of silk and the hardness of rocks been rendered so well. (...) The zigzag lines on the rock are unique to Hokusai and are not found in the work of any other Japanese artist.” (BAFJ, p. 33). . HOKUSAI AND A PUPIL Four ichiji shita-e on a single sheet. Published in: BAFJ, ill. 4, p. 34 According to Bernard Rousseau, this drawing is not entirely in Hokusai’s own hand. He provides a very detailed analysis: the man in the bottom right-hand corner, with his arms raised, and the horseman (who appear in the same illustration, vol. 2, ff. 20v–21r), as well as the herons (vol. 3, ff. 15v–16r), seem to him to display Hokusai’s confident line. In his view, Hokusai would have drawn the horseman in mid-air before the pupil drew the horse. Similarly, in the group on the left, the man in the foreground is thought to be by Hokusai’s hand, whilst the horse, the female rider and the ghost are believed to have been drawn by a pupil. Hokusai is said to have subsequently made a few retouches using thicker ink on the female rider (vol. 4, ff. 22v–23r)