Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) | Under the Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa-oki nami-ura), also known as The Great Wave | Edo period, 19th century

Katsushika Hokusai’s masterpiece Under the Wave off Kanagawa (the ‘Great Wave’) is as immediately striking today as it must have been when it first appeared in late 1831, when it was published as part of the set ‘Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji’ (Fugaku sanjurokkei). The series was a sensational success at the time, proving so popular that after the completion of the first thirty-six prints of the series title an additional ten were added bringing the total of a complete set to forty-six, even though the title was not modified.

The main subject of the design, the ‘Great Wave’, towers up and crests over forming claw-like extensions which reach towards the snow-capped peak of Mount Fuji dwarfed below; the sacred mountain revealed for a moment in the well of the wave. The oarsmen of three skiffs (oshiokuri-bune) struggle against the overwhelming force of the wave as they head away from Edo to meet fishermen with fresh catches of fish to return to the capital to sell in the markets.

No other Japanese print is more internationally renowned, occupying an iconic place in modern visual culture. The perfect balance of the composition, combined with the universally understood concept of the struggle of man against the monumental forces of nature are elements that contribute to its enduring popularity.

Other impressions in museum collections include:

The British Museum, museum number 1937,0710,0.147, go to:

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_1937-0710-0-147

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, accession number 21.6765, go to:

https://collections.mfa.org/objects/234428

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The MET), New York, accession number JP10, go to:

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/60000586