The Great Wave off Kanagawa

“The Great Wave off Kanagawa,” created by Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai in the early 1830s, is one of the most iconic and celebrated works of art in the world.

This woodblock print, part of Hokusai’s series “Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji,” depicts a towering wave threatening boats off the coast with Mount Fuji visible in the background. The print is renowned for its dynamic composition, striking use of color, and masterful blending of traditional Japanese art with Western techniques of perspective. “The Great Wave” has left a lasting impact on art and popular culture, symbolizing the powerful and often unpredictable force of nature.

 

Mount Fuji is seen from the sea and framed by a large, cresting wave

In 1830, a 70-year-old Hokusai produced Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, a serie of Ukiyo-e where he offers views of Mount Fuji from different points and during various times of the year.

This famous woodblock print has been used as an emblem of tsunamis, hurricanes, and plane crashes into the sea.