In 1804, Katsushika Hokusai turned his gaze to the legendary shōjō, a sake-loving spirit from Chinese and Japanese folklore, at a moment when he was experimenting with both subject and style. This work is especially notable as one of Hokusai’s rare early forays into painting supernatural beings, before his worldwide fame as a printmaker with Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji. The shōjō, famous for its red face and fondness for drink, was a popular theme in kabuki and literature, but Hokusai’s treatment stands apart for its blend of humor and humanity.

The exact medium of this 1804 piece is still debated, adding a layer of mystery to its history. The scene captures the shōjō in a moment of rapturous delight, cup in hand, cheeks flushed—a visual shorthand for both intoxication and otherworldliness. Around the figure, the folds of a flowing robe seem to ripple, echoing the movement of sake being poured, while the shōjō’s hair, wild and unkempt, signals its supernatural origins. The background is spare, drawing the viewer’s attention to the expressive face and the ritual of drinking.

Unlike the more formal depictions by earlier artists such as Soga Shōhaku, who often rendered the shōjō with a sense of eerie detachment, Hokusai’s version feels almost intimate, inviting us to share in the spirit’s joy. Little is known about the journey of this particular Shōjō painting after its creation. It likely originated as a private commission or a gift, as was common with Hokusai’s early paintings, before his later mass-produced prints brought him broader fame. The uncertainty about its medium—whether ink, color on silk, or paper—reflects the challenges of tracing the provenance of Hokusai’s early works, many of which have been lost or misattributed.

Today, the painting stands as a testament to Hokusai’s restless creativity in the years before his iconic landscapes, and to the enduring fascination with the playful, enigmatic shōjō in Japanese art.