Carl Sandburg notices something strange about Hokusai’s self-portrait: the artist gives no face. We see his hat, arms, and legs, but the actual face is missing. Instead, the only faces in the image belong to a river, a mountain, and two farmers laughing. Hokusai seems to hide himself, or perhaps he finds his identity less in his own features than in the world around him. The final line, “The smile of Hokusai is under his hat,” is gentle and playful. It implies he is there, watching and amused, but refusing to show himself directly. The mood is quiet, a little mysterious, and warm. Sandburg seems charmed by the artist’s modesty or sly humor, treating the missing face not as a loss but as a kind of presence hidden in plain sight.
His Own Face Hidden — Summary
HOKUSAI'S portrait of himself Tells what his hat was like And his arms and legs. The only faces Are a river and a mountain And two laughing farmers. The smile of Hokusai is under his hat.