Totoya Hokkei (魚屋北渓)
Totoya Hokkei (魚屋北渓) was a graphic artist active during a period spanning 1750 to 1780. The artist is recognized primarily for specialized prints, fifteen of which are documented in significant Western institutional holdings.
Totoya Hokkei’s work is highly regarded and represented in major collections globally, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Art Institute of Chicago, establishing the historical and museum-quality nature of the prints. The artist's subjects ranged from intense mythological narratives and dynamic action scenes to genre studies.
Representative works include the narrative piece Benzaiten appearing to Taira no Kiyomori and the highly descriptive scene A Fisherman is Struggling amid the Rocks and Currents of an Inlet of the Sea. Other documented Totoya Hokkei (魚屋北渓) prints explore intimate and folkloric themes, such as A Romantic Scene, Asahina Saburo throwing beans, and Bijin Urashima and the Seven Fortune Beings (Shichi-fuku-jin). Many of these important historical documents are now in the public domain, allowing for widespread access to high-quality prints.
