Under the Wave off Kanagawa

Hokusai's Under the Wave off Kanagawa is one of the most iconic images in Japanese art and is considered to be one of Hokusai's masterpieces. It is part of Hokusai's famous series, Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji. It depicts a menacing wave crashing down onto boats off the coast of Kanagawa, Japan. Mount Fuji can be seen in the distance, serene and unaffected by the chaos below. The print is rendered in a dramatic style, with a dynamic composition and a bold use of color. Hokusai's use of perspective creates a sense of depth and movement, and the contrasting colors of the blue wave and the white Mount Fuji add to the overall impact of the print. The print is currently in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

Katsushika Hokusai, born in 1760 and died in 1849, was a famous Japanese artist and printmaker of the ukiyo-e style, which portrayed the “floating world” of the Edo period. He is most recognized for his series of woodblock prints “Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji”, which depicted the sacred mountain from various perspectives and seasons. This series included the iconic images of “The Great Wave off Kanagawa” and “Fine Wind, Clear Morning”. His wood-block prints inspired artists such as Édouard Manet, Claude Monet, and Vincent van Gogh.