Major Hokusai Exhibition in Rome Celebrates 160 Years of Italy-Japan Relations

A comprehensive exhibition dedicated to Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai opens at Palazzo Bonaparte in Rome on March 27, 2026, running through June 29, 2026. Organized by Arthemisia, this marks the most extensive presentation of Hokusai's work ever staged in Italy, commemorating 160 years of diplomatic relations between Italy and Japan. The exhibition features over 200 works primarily from the National Museum in Krakow, displayed in Italy for the first time in a monographic context. Hokusai, a master of the Ukiyo-e artistic movement from the Edo period, is celebrated for transforming everyday scenes and natural phenomena into powerful poetic visions. Key works include the iconic 'The Great Wave off Kanagawa,' the 'Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji' series, and the influential 'Hokusai Manga' sketchbooks. The exhibition explores Hokusai's technical precision and dynamic compositions, particularly his treatment of water as expressive energy, as seen in series like 'A Tour of Waterfalls in Various Provinces.' Beyond prints, the presentation includes over 180 cultural artifacts from 19th-century Japan—rare books, armor, musical instruments, kimonos, and accessories—alongside photographs by Felice Beato documenting Japan after its opening to the West. The show highlights Hokusai's significant influence on Western art, impacting artists like Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh, and contributing to Impressionism and Japonisme. The exhibition is structured into twelve thematic sections, tracing Hokusai's evolution, his use of multiple artistic names, and his exploration of subjects from urban life to the fantastical. The collection largely comes from the holdings of collector Feliks Jasieński. This exhibition represents a shift for Arthemisia, which previously focused on Western masters like Van Gogh and Munch, now turning attention to Eastern artistic traditions.