Minotaur's Dream

In this artwork, Picasso, wearing his bull mask, lets his mind wander as if in a dream. Suddenly, the fisherman’s wife surrenders to the sinuous embrace of the octopuses. Undulating strokes trace her skin, while the artist, fascinated, unravels tentacles of desire and foam.

The sea’s panting and the vibration of the bodies intertwine in a primal rhythm. His brush stops. A shiver runs down his spine. He turns, slowly, his dark eyes peering from behind the mask, as if he suddenly feels the gaze of the spectator, trapped with him in this humid, feverish dream.

This artwork, often called The Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife, was created by the famous Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai in 1814. It appears in an erotic picture book called Kinoe no Komatsu. At the time, such works were privately produced and distributed, as they were subject to government restrictions. Hokusai used a pen name to avoid censorship, which was common practice for artists of the period.

The image shows a woman in an intimate, dreamlike scene with two octopuses. Rather than being a realistic scene, it is often understood as a fantasy, showing how imagination and desire were explored in Edo-period art. The picture is accompanied by text that tells a story, which was a unique feature of erotic prints (called shunga) and added emotional and narrative depth.

Despite its surprising subject, the piece is admired today for its artistic skill, beautiful composition, and historical significance. It gives us insight into the creativity and open-mindedness of Japanese culture at that time, and is often discussed in museums and academic settings around the world.