Woodblock print page from 'Strange Tales of the Bow Moon' by Katsushika Hokusai

This woodblock print is a page from Katsushika Hokusai's illustrated book 'Strange Tales of the Bow Moon' (Chinsetsu Yumiharizuki), published between 1807 and 1811 during the late Edo period. The work depicts scenes from a historical tale featuring samurai warriors in dramatic compositions, showcasing Hokusai's masterful line work and narrative illustration style before he became famous for his landscape prints. The aged paper and printing technique are characteristic of early 19th-century Japanese publishing. This type of illustrated book page appeals strongly to collectors of Japanese woodblock prints, Hokusai enthusiasts, and scholars of Edo-period literature and art. The historical significance of Hokusai's narrative illustration work, combined with the dramatic samurai subject matter and the print's age of over 200 years, makes it highly valued among collectors of Japanese art and those interested in the development of manga and sequential art traditions. Such pages represent an important bridge between traditional Japanese illustration and the ukiyo-e print tradition.