Getting to know Hokusai’s The Great Wave
Have you ever wanted to explore the iconic "Great Wave off Kanagawa" (sometimes called The Great Wave or Under the Wave off Kanagawa) by Katsushika Hokusai? Well now you can!
Join Eleana and Lauren to get to know this iconic print in a little more detail. If you are a kid or kid-at-heart, you’ll also enjoy that Eleana is 8-years-old. She steered the conversation with her questions. The idea was to pair art historian with a kid to talk about a work of art to empower kids to ask questions and talk openly about art, art history, and archaeology. We were delighted with the results! Eleana even came up with her own “fun facts” at the very end.
Hokusai’s print belonged to a larger series called Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji. The Great Wave was printed many times, resulting in many different impressions of the same image. This version was printed around 1830–31, during the Edo period. It’s the most famous example of a ukiyo-e print.
In the video, you’ll learn why the people in the famous Japanese print look so worried as a massive wave approaches. Learn about the famous Mount Fuji in the background. Consider the frothy white ocean. Spend a moment learning about the process of Japanese woodblock printing.
Hokusai’s print isn’t just famous in Japanese art, but it is one of the most recognizable images in the history of art worldwide!
Get to know this print more
Check out our video page.
Spend a minute learning more about how to read this print.
Read more about how are trying to empower kids to look at and experience art and its histories.
Here is what the video covers:
0:00 Introduction
0:13 Looking at one of the most famous images in the world: The Great Wave
0:34 A kid asks questions about Hokusai’s print
1:17 The frothy, bubbly white stuff in the ocean
1:45 Mount Fuji
2:02 How Hokusai made this print / printmaking technique
3:15 The cost of Hokusai’s print
3:50 The series Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji
4:12 Three Fun facts about The Great Wave off Kanagawa
