Oceans of Wisdom

Oceans of Wisdom (Japanese: Chie no umi (千絵の海)^[1]) is a chūban yoko-e (19 × 25.4 cm) sized woodblock print series by the Japanese artist Hokusai. The ten fishing-themed prints comprise one of Hokusai's rarest sets. Published by Moriya Jihei,^[2] it seems to have been issued around 1832–1834^[3][4] and publication of the prints ceased abruptly. Some preparatory drawings are extant for prints that were never made.

ArtistHokusai

YearPublished c. 1832–1834

TypeWood block prints

Dimensions19 cm × 25.4 cm (7.5 in × 10.0 in)

Quick facts "Whaling Off Gotō" from, Artist ...

"Whaling Off Gotō" from Oceans of Wisdom
Artist	Hokusai
Year	Published c. 1832–1834
Type	Wood block prints
Dimensions	19 cm × 25.4 cm (7.5 in × 10.0 in)

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The prints, which feature scenes of fishing including shellfish-gathering, whaling and fly-fishing, allow Hokusai to explore one of his favourite themes, that of man expressing himself through labour and harmoniously working with the forces of nature.^{[citation needed]} This is particularly evident in the print Chōshi in Shimōsa Province, which shows fishing boats struggling in a stormy sea, echoing his roughly contemporaneous The Great Wave off Kanagawa.^[3]

The series' use of colour differs from other landscape prints of the time. It has richly overprinted shades and an unusual palette of yellow, green and varying red pigments.^{[citation needed]} Hokusai also employs the rare technique of using black for colour and not just line, suggestive of the influence of Western oil painting.^[5]