My favorite (and the only one I know) ukiyo-e artist is Hokusai. Published sometime in the nineteenth century, The Great Wave off Kanagawa is his most famous print. It consists of huge waves rolling off the coast of the Kanagawa Pefecture but the actual focus should be on Mt. Fuji hiding the back, a common feature in Japanese art of this time. Why does this piece interest me? It was made during a dark period of his life, specifically when he became a victim of poverty and lost his wife. The continuous tragedy in his life inspired him to create Thirty-six View of Mount Fuji, a collection to show the contrast between the secular and sacred forces ruling Japanese life in his time. It's possible, he was openly criticizing the hedonistic themes, like those of erotic scenes and prostitutes, that fellow artists of his era chose to portray in their art. It can be left to interpretation if actual proof of my theory is never discovered.
Samya