KATSUSHIKA HOKUSAI (1760-1849)

Daikoku, or Daikokuten is originally known as Mahakala, one of the Tantric guardian deities known as the primary Wisdom Protector of Tibetan Buddhism, as well as a meditational deity. While he has many different forms, he is typically depicted with a wrathful appearance. In Japan this deity is considered as protector of farming and commerce and one of the Seven Gods of Good Fortune. In a much less fearsome form, this deity was popular during the Edo period.
It is know that Hokusai worked on this subject several times, including the surimono print of Daikoku Lifting Rice Bales and Chickens in the collection of Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (fig. 1).