Artwork
「富嶽三十六景 神奈川沖浪裏」|Under the Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa oki nami ura), also known as The Great Wave, from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)
「富嶽三十六景 神奈川沖浪裏」|Under the Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa oki nami ura), also known as The Great Wave, from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei) is an ink print by the Japonisme artist Katsushika Hokusai. It dates from 1831 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1831 by the Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai, this woodblock print belongs to the series Thirty‑six Views of Mount Fuji. It portrays a towering blue wave about to break over three small fishing vessels, while the iconic silhouette of Mount Fuji appears as a distant, tranquil backdrop under a clear sky.
Subject & Meaning
The composition contrasts the immense, almost claw‑like wave with the serene, unmoving mountain, suggesting the power of nature against human endeavor. The three boats, rendered vulnerable, emphasize the precariousness of the fishermen’s livelihood, while Fuji’s calm presence serves as a symbolic anchor of stability.
Technique & Style
Hokusian woodblock printing involved carving separate blocks for line, color, and background, then pressing them onto washi paper. The print’s bold outlines, layered indigo and Prussian blue pigments, and the use of bokashi (gradient shading) create a sense of movement and depth, characteristic of the ukiyo‑e style.
History & Provenance
The image was produced as a mass‑produced print, allowing thousands of copies to circulate throughout Edo‑period Japan. Original blocks were likely stored by Hokusai’s workshop and later dispersed; surviving impressions are held in major museum collections worldwide, reflecting its enduring popularity since the 19th century.
Context
Part of a larger series documenting varied perspectives of Mount Fuji, the print reflects the early‑19th‑century fascination with travel and landscape in Japan. Its dramatic depiction of sea and sky aligns with contemporary interests in natural phenomena and the growing merchant class’s appetite for affordable art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Katsushika Hokusai spent his life in Edo, now Tokyo, where he drew and carved prints for a living.
- 「富嶽三十六景 神奈川沖浪裏」|Under the Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa oki nami ura), or The Great Wave, from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)
冨嶽三十六景 神奈川沖浪裏|Under the Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa oki nami ura), also known as The Great Wave, from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)
冨嶽三十六景 東海道金谷の不二|Fuji Seen from Kanaya on the Tōkaidō (Tōkaidō Kanaya no Fuji), from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)
冨嶽三十六景 山下白雨|Storm below Mount Fuji (Sanka no haku u), from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)
冨嶽三十六景 山下白雨|Storm below Mount Fuji (Sanka no haku u), from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)
「富嶽三十六景 凱風快晴」|South Wind, Clear Sky (Gaifū kaisei), also known as Red Fuji, from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)
冨嶽三十六景 武州玉川|Fuji—The Tama River, Musashi Province, from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)
冨嶽三十六景 武州玉川|Tama River in Musashi Province (Bushū Tamagawa), from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)
葛飾北斎画 冨嶽三十六景 深川万年橋下|Under the Mannen Bridge at Fukagawa (Fukagawa Mannenbashi shita), from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)
冨嶽三十六景 凱風快晴|South Wind, Clear Sky (Gaifū kaisei), also known as Red Fuji, from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)
葛飾北斎画 冨嶽三十六景
東海道金谷の不二|Fuji Seen from Kanaya on the Tōkaidō (Tōkaidō Kanaya no Fuji), from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei
冨嶽三十六景 信州諏訪湖|Lake Suwa in Shinano Province (Shinshū Suwako), from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)