Under the Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa oki nami ura), also known as the Great Wave

Under the Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa oki nami ura), also known as the Great Wave, from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji. Katsushika Hokusai. 1830– 1833 C.E. Polychrome woodblock print; ink and color on paper.

• one of the most famous works of art in the world
• Hokusai’s print displays the influence of Dutch art, and proved to be inspirational for many artists working in Europe later in the nineteenth century.
• Mount Fuji does not always dominate the frame.
• Under the Wave off Kanagawa is full of visual play. The mountain, made tiny by the use of perspective, appears as if it too will be swallowed up by the wave.
• Hokusai has arranged the composition to frame Mount Fuji.
• he white top of the great wave creates a diagonal line that leads the viewers eye directly to the peak of the mountain top.
• Hokusai discovered Western prints that came to Japan by way of Dutch trade. From the Dutch artwork Hokusai became interested in linear perspective. 
• The influence of Dutch art can also be seen in the use of a low horizon line and the distinctive European color, Prussian blue.
• Hokusai was interested in oblique angles, contrasts of near and far, and contrasts of manmade and the natural
• Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan and has long been considered sacred. Hokusai is often described as having a personal fascination with the mountain, which sparked his interest in making this series.
• he earliest prints were made in only black and white, but later, color was added. 
• A separate block of wood was used for each color. Each print is made with a final overlay of black line. 
• Ukiyo-e prints are recognizable for their emphasis on line and pure, bright color, as well as their ability to distill form down to the minimum.
• Hokusai moved away from the tradition of making images of courtesans and actors, which was the customary subject of ukiyo-e prints. 
• his work focused on the daily life of Japanese people from a variety of social levels. 
• This change of subject matter was a breakthrough in both ukiyo-e prints and in Hokusai’s career.
• Popularity of Ukiyo-e prints in Europe; This was the first introduction of Japanese culture to mass audiences in the West, and a craze for collecting art called Japonisme ensued.
• mpressionist artists in Paris, such as Claude Monet, were great fans of Japanese prints. The flattening of space, an interest in atmospheric conditions, and the impermanence of modern city life—all visible in Hokusai’s prints—both reaffirmed their own artistic interests and inspired many future works of art.