The Dazzling Life of Hokusai's Daughter

Oei, later known as Katsushika Oi, was born the third daughter of Edo’s talented painter Katsushika Hokusai and his second wife, Koto. Although Oei became the wife of a town painter for a time, her greater passion for painting than for her husband led to difficulties, and she returned to live with her father. This is when Oei began to assist Hokusai in his work, particularly in the painting of the “insurmountable high wall.” During this time, Oei could only confide in the painter Ikeda Zenjiro, who was her father’s student, about her struggles and concerns. Zenjiro, known in Edo as Keisai Eisen, had gained fame as a master of ukiyo-e, especially in the portrayal of beautiful women. He visited Hokusai regularly out of admiration for him and also because he secretly admired Oei, though their relationship was that of childhood friends. Oei respected her father, whose work had always fascinated her, and continued to support him behind the scenes as a painter. When Hokusai completed his masterpiece, *Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji*, she was by his side.