Katsushika Hokusai The Great Wave

Katsushika Hokusai

1760-1849

Japanese artist and printmaker

Known by at least 30 names during his lifetime

Work is an iconic representation of Japanese art

Most important work was produced after he was age 60

Hokusai loved to create art at a very early age. He was very talented and studied under some very well-known Japanese artists. He was obsessed with his work and created an extensive collection of oil paintings and wood block prints. He completed his last painting at age 87.

He was also very good at promoting himself. During his lifetime, Japan was a closed society. Though he was very famous in Japan, he didn’t become popular internationally until after his death. He is considered the most important and influential Japanese artist. Even today, 160 years after his death, his work is widely recognized.

Among his most famous works, is a collection of prints, The 36 Views of Mount Fuji, including The Great Wave.

Hokusai was constantly trying to produce better work. It is said that his last words were, “If only Heaven will give me just another 10 years…Just another 5 more years, then I could become a real painter.” He was 88 years old.

What is happening in this print? What shapes and colors do you see? How do the colors and shapes affect the feeling in the print? What do you see first in the print? When you look more closely, what other details do you see? Mt. Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan. How does the size of the wave relate to the size of Mt. Fuji?