The artwork titled “Tanuki” was created by the esteemed artist Katsushika Hokusai around the year 1840. This piece belongs to the Ukiyo-e art movement and falls under the genre of animal painting.
The artwork depicts a tanuki, a Japanese raccoon dog, cleverly camouflaged as a hanging kettle. Using delicate brushstrokes and minimalist composition, Hokusai captures both the form and essence of the creature, blending it seamlessly with the object it imitates. The tanuki’s body forms the base of the kettle, with its head peeking out wittily, embodying the mythical folklore of the tanuki’s shapeshifting abilities. The background is left nearly bare, drawing the viewer’s attention to the central figure and highlighting the playful and imaginative nature of the piece.
