Drawing 8, 19.3 X 27.3 cm.

Manga. Figures, horse riders, herons and a ghost, by Hokusai and a pupil.

8 A. A horse rider, by Hokusai and a pupil, and a man with his hands in the air, by Hokusai. Published in Hida no takumi monogatari, vol. 2, plate 20B –21A, in 1809.    Changes from drawing to print: The horse’s tail has more than doubled in volume in the print, but this indicates nothing since there was a lack of space in the drawing. The patterns on the clothes of the standing man have been slightly changed, which is quite uncommon.

  In the combination of the horse and rider, two features are surprising:

the rider seems to have been drawn with much greater skill than the horse.

the position of the rider is surprising: too low in the saddle with the leading arm seeming incongruous in relation to the horse. This leads us to ask the following question: what if the rider, clearly drawn first, was by Hokusai and the horse, drawn after was by a pupil? This question comes easily to mind when we notice that on this same sheet, the grass from the scenery and also the two horses, look very similar to the grass and horses seen in Fig. 24, which was clearly by a pupil.

8 B.   Woman on a horse with a man,    a ghost and reeds, by Hokusai and a pupil.

Published in Hida no takumi monogatari, vol. 4, plate 22B –23A, in 1809;  

  Changes from drawing to print:

• As in drawing 8A, it is hard to compare the differences between the print and the drawing as the compositions are quite different.
• By superimposing the drawing onto the print, we were surprised to see that while the ghost stayed exactly the same size, the horse rider and armed man were slightly increased in size in the print.

We can easily see that the lines of the obi and the lower part of the kimono are definitely stronger and more confident than those at the top of the kimono. Closer examination reveals that strong lines, similar in style to those seen in the obi, go over the weaker lines drawn by a pupil at the base of the kimono. Other similar corrections can also be seen on the horse’s shoulder and legs. It would seem that Hokusai first drew the man and a pupil added the horse and rider. This so far, is in keeping with the working method of the studio at this time. Hokusai then corrected some of the lines of the horse and rider, which seems unique in this group of drawings. The pupil then finished the pattern on the kimono with light straight parallel lines.

The reeds are very similar to the grass in Fig. 24 which are not by Hokusai, nor is the kanji to the ghost’s lower leg

8 C. Two herons taking flight, by Hokusai. 

Published in Hida no takumi monogatari, vol. 3, plate 15B –16A, in 1809.