The Great Wave of Kanagawa

The Great Wave of Kanagawa

A well-known painting from the Japonisme is The Great Wave of Kanagawa. The artist who painted The Great Wave of Kanagawa is Katsushika Hokusai. The material that this painting was made with is woodcut printing. Hokusai was born in the year 1760 and died in the year 1848.

Similar Work to The Great Wave

The subject is Mount Fuji. In the painting there is huge attention between the contrast of the waves and of the mountain. The characterized wave appears to tower the observer, whilst the little pyramid mountain which is called Mount Fuji just lays there in a distance. The little Pyramid Mountain which is called Mount Fuji is the focus of the composition in the painting. In the Great waves shown, in them there are also shown three boats full of Japanese sailors, which are also thought to be barges conveying fish from the southern Island of Edo. Hokusai, before he had done the Final piece of The Great Wave of Kanagawa, he had done similar works in which in the

end he had produced its final development, piece. In this work the waves look as if it is swallowing the whole boats. It is seen as really powerful image, the painting is truly beautiful, also showing are waves which look like waves that have white icy looking tips, in which menacingly curl down into points, which looks like scratching claws that look like they are ready to scratch and scoop the sailors out of the waves from the ocean. 

References:

• Katsushika Hokusai and Japanese Art, . 2013. Katsushika Hokusai and Japanese Art, . [ONLINE] Available at: http://andreas.com/hokusai.html. [Accessed 18 May 2013].
• Katsushika Hokusai: The Great Wave at Kanagawa (from a Series of Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji) (JP1847) | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 2013. Katsushika Hokusai: The Great Wave at Kanagawa (from a Series of Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji) (JP1847) | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/JP1847. [Accessed 18 May 2013]
• A Brief History of Japanese Art Prints (also known as Ukiyo-e). 2013. A Brief History of Japanese Art Prints (also known as Ukiyo-e). [ONLINE] Available at: http://emptyeasel.com/2008/04/24/a-brief-history-of-japanese-art-prints-also-known-as-ukiyo-e/. [Accessed 18 May 2013].