The Great Wave off Kanagawa
Artist: Katsushika Hokusai
Year Composed: 1831
Artistic Movement: Edo
Nationality: Japan
Floor Found in Château: Basement
Year Composed: 1831
Artistic Movement: Edo
Nationality: Japan
Floor Found in Château: Basement
About the Artwork
The Great Wave off Kanagawa is one of the most iconic and recognizable paintings in Japanese and even in Asian art history. There are several of these woodblock prints located throughout Western museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York City, New York, United States of America), the National Gallery of Victoria (Melbourne, Australia), and this particular version, which is in the Art Institute of Chicago Building (Chicago, Illinois, United States of America). Katsushika Hokusai's painting depicts a large tidal wave that threatens to overturn boats that are sailing off the coast of Kanagawa (which is present-day Yokohama, Japan). Due to the location near Kanagawa as well as the artist's fascination with the iconic mountain, Mount Fuji can be seen within the background of the painting.
About the Artist
Katsushika Hokusai was a preeminent artist of the Edo Age and of the ukiyo-e style of art. Born in what is now Tokyo, Hokusai was known for his woodblock print works, highlighting both his appeal to nature and to Mount Fuji as well as a travel-inspired visual guide. Works such as The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife (1814), Cuckoo and Azaleas (1834), and his iconic Great Wave off Kanagawa (1831) appeal to both nature and worldly travel, inspiring viewers of his art to be one with the world. Senses of calmness, serenity, and tenderness can be felt within the paintings and print works of Hokusai.
About the Movement
The Great Wave off Kanagawa was composed in the Edo Age of art. The Edo Period in Japan, also known as the Tokugawa Period, occurred between 1603 and 1868. During this time, artists studied sciences and various techniques from the West (known as Dutch studies), ultimately culminating in the ukiyo-e genre of art. Subjects included women, scenes of history, landscapes, and nature, becoming known as "pictures of the floating world." Some of the most famous Edo artists included Matsumura Keibun, Torii Kiyonaga, and Katsushika Hokusai.
Location of Original Work of Art: Art Institute of Chicago Building, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
The Great Wave off Kanagawa is one of the most iconic and recognizable paintings in Japanese and even in Asian art history. There are several of these woodblock prints located throughout Western museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York City, New York, United States of America), the National Gallery of Victoria (Melbourne, Australia), and this particular version, which is in the Art Institute of Chicago Building (Chicago, Illinois, United States of America). Katsushika Hokusai's painting depicts a large tidal wave that threatens to overturn boats that are sailing off the coast of Kanagawa (which is present-day Yokohama, Japan). Due to the location near Kanagawa as well as the artist's fascination with the iconic mountain, Mount Fuji can be seen within the background of the painting.
About the Artist
Katsushika Hokusai was a preeminent artist of the Edo Age and of the ukiyo-e style of art. Born in what is now Tokyo, Hokusai was known for his woodblock print works, highlighting both his appeal to nature and to Mount Fuji as well as a travel-inspired visual guide. Works such as The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife (1814), Cuckoo and Azaleas (1834), and his iconic Great Wave off Kanagawa (1831) appeal to both nature and worldly travel, inspiring viewers of his art to be one with the world. Senses of calmness, serenity, and tenderness can be felt within the paintings and print works of Hokusai.
About the Movement
The Great Wave off Kanagawa was composed in the Edo Age of art. The Edo Period in Japan, also known as the Tokugawa Period, occurred between 1603 and 1868. During this time, artists studied sciences and various techniques from the West (known as Dutch studies), ultimately culminating in the ukiyo-e genre of art. Subjects included women, scenes of history, landscapes, and nature, becoming known as "pictures of the floating world." Some of the most famous Edo artists included Matsumura Keibun, Torii Kiyonaga, and Katsushika Hokusai.
Location of Original Work of Art: Art Institute of Chicago Building, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America