Hokusai biography book

• Click here for more reading lists on the world's greatest artists

Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) is famed for his print Under the Wave off Kanagawa, commonly known as The Great Wave, an image reproduced innumerable times around the world in all sorts of contexts.

But the Japanese artist’s work was so much more interesting than his much copied and parodied wave might suggest; anyone who has seen his prints in the flesh will be blown away by the intricate detail and skilled craftsmanship. An exhibition opening this month at the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) Boston (Hokusai: Inspiration and Influence, 26 March-16 July) will pair more than 100 works by the artist with pieces by those he influenced, from his followers to contemporary artists such as John Cederquist and Yayoi Kusama.

Here, the exhibition curator Sarah E. Thompson has picked out four books for anyone wanting to know more about the life