The Great Wave off Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai

An Introduction to the Most Iconic Japanese print

The Great Wave off Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai (1831)

The Great Wave off Kanagawa created by Japanese artist, Katsushika Hokusai, is Japan’s most famous artwork.

Beyond its commercialized reputation lies a rich cultural, artistic, and spiritual significance.

Let’s get to know more about this iconic wave.

This is an introduction to The Great Wave off Kanagawa.

Context: Japan’s Edo period, woodblock prints, and Ukiyo-e art

The Great Wave off Kanagawa was crafted in 1831, during Japan’s Edo period.

It is the first in Hokusai’s Thirty-six views of Mt. Fuji series, depicting Mt. Fuji from various angles.

Another print from Hokusai’s Mt. Fuji series: Umezawa in Sagami province (1830)

The series comprises woodblock prints, a technique of carving images into woodblocks and transferring them to papers for mass production.

Example of Japanese woodblock print of The Great Wave off Kanagawa.