A Brush with Legend: The Life and Art of Kōsai Hokushin Kōsai Hokushin (1824-1876) remains a somewhat enigmatic figure in the landscape of Edo period Japanese art, yet his contributions are undeniably significant. While not as widely celebrated as some of his contemporaries, Hokushin’s mastery of ink and color, particularly his evocative depictions of historical subjects, secured him a place among the pivotal artists of the era. His life unfolded during a time of immense social and political upheaval in Japan, a period marked by the waning power of the shogunate and the looming arrival of We…