The Great Wave off Kanagawa (神奈川沖浪裏 Kanagawa-oki nami ura, "Under a wave off Kanagawa"), also known as "The Great Wave" or simply "The Wave," is a woodblock print by the Japanese ukiyo-e artist Hokusai. It was published sometime between 1830 and 1832 (the late Edo period) as the first print in Hokusai's series "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji." It is without a doubt Hokusai's most famous work, and one of the most recognizable works of Japanese art in the world. This print is a yoko-e, that is, a landscape format produced in the ōban size, about 25 cm high by 37 cm wide.
The design shows a rather dramatic scene off the coast of the town of Kanagawa (now ostensibly the present-day city of Yokohama in Kanagawa Prefecture). A huge wave is swamping over three tiny, long and slim boats cramped with fishermen. Mount Fuji is peaking out in the background - very small and very calm and untouched by the drama unfolding in the sea a few dozen miles away. At first look one thinks that the humans in their tiny boats are doomed to perish in the sea. But they are probably not. The fishermen do not look panicked. On the contrary, they look like they are hanging to their oars in full discipline. They are experienced and know how to cope with such a situation.
These slim and swift boats were used to transport fresh fish from nearby fishing villages to the markets of Edo (today's Tokyo). Edo at that time was one of the largest cities of the world, perhaps the second largest after London. One can imagine what huge masses of fresh food had to be transported to the Japanese capital every morning to feed an estimated population of more than one million.
After the Great Tsunami natural disaster in 2004, Hokusai's famous image could be frequently seen in the press referred to as an early 19th century document of a huge tsunami wave. This is probably is not true. I am sure that Hokusai did not think that far ahead and perhaps never experienced a tsunami himself. Hokusai simply wanted to make an impressive image that catches the very nature of a huge wave and wanted to demonstrate how tiny man is in comparison to the forces of nature. His main concern in his art works was to catch the real nature of things. We know this pretty well from Hokusai's own biography that the master had written himself at the age of 73.
As to the actual wave itself, compared to the might of the wave Mt. Fuji look minute, while the boats that bob beneath it seem doomed for destruction. Scholars Julyan H.E Cartwright and Hisami Nakamura exhaustively studied the print and what we know about waves to determine if it was in fact a rogue wave, or, more scientifically, “a plunging breaker” - nonetheless deadly.
Rogue waves are alternately known as "freak waves," "monster waves," or "killer waves" because they occur out in the open ocean and abruptly, sometimes toppling ocean liners. This particular rogue wave can actually be measured thanks to the three fishing boats (oshiokuri-bune). Cartwright and Nakamura used their known size to determine The Great Wave off Kanagawa is roughly 32 to 39 feet tall.
East Meets West Fine Arts is happy to offer this elegant, sophisticated print as fine wall art, including this reproduction on canvas, as well as frameable posters and prints (in fact, we have included various options so that you can mat and frame your print on our shop and receive the complete, finished product at your home), not to mention as a beautiful greeting card and also sportswear items and things for the home.
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We will be adding various new items to this collection from time to time and we hope you will come and visit our online gallery and our other collections soon and often. We’re sure you will find something wonderful for yourself or great gift ideas.
