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Photograph of Under the Wave off Kanagawa (The Great Wave)

Under the Wave off Kanagawa (The Great Wave)

冨嶽三十六景 神奈川沖浪裏

Woodblock print — Edo period

Under the Wave off Kanagawa (The Great Wave)

冨嶽三十六景 神奈川沖浪裏

Type
Woodblock print
Period and date
Edo period, c. 1830–1832
Artist
Katsushika Hokusai
Collection:
Metropolitan Museum of Art

03 — Overview

From Hokusai's series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji: a small Fuji seen beyond a towering wave. Though sometimes called a tsunami, the wave is better understood as a great offshore wave (okinami).

04 — Object data

Type
Woodblock print
Category
Ukiyo-e
Artist
Katsushika Hokusai
Period
Edo period
Date
c. 1830–1832
Collection
Metropolitan Museum of Art ↗
05 — Detail · Japanese: 『神奈川沖浪裏 』The Great Wave off Kanagawatitle QS:P1476,ja:"神奈川沖浪裏 "label QS:Lja,"神奈川沖浪裏 "label QS:Lit,"La grande onda di Kanagawa"label QS:Lfr,"La Grande Vague de Kanagawa"label QS:Lnl,"De grote golf van Kanagawa"label QS:Lde,"Die große Welle vor Kanagawa"label QS:Len,"The Great Wave off Kanagawa"label QS:Llv,"Lielais Kanagavas vilnis"label QS:Lar,"الموجة الكبيرة في كاناغاوا" · By Katsushika Hokusai · Wikimedia Commons · Public domain

11 — Maker

葛飾北斎

Katsushika Hokusai

1760–1849 — Ukiyo-e artist

12 — Collection

Metropolitan Museum of Art

Official website ↗

Films

Ukiyo-eIn Japanese

Printing ukiyo-e (Tokyo National Museum)

Video title: 「「浮世絵ができるまで　～摺りの工程～」Ukiyo-e from A to Z: The Printing Process of Japanese Woodblock Prints」

Source: TokyoNationalMuseum · YouTube ↗

Ukiyo-eIn Japanese

Edo woodblock printing (Aoyama Square)

Video title: 「手技TEWAZA「江戸木版画」EDO MOKUHANGA Woodblock Prints／伝統工芸 青山スクエア Japan traditional crafts Aoyama Square」

Source: 伝統工芸 青山スクエア · YouTube ↗

13 — Related objects

Photograph of Fine Wind, Clear Morning (Red Fuji)

Fine Wind, Clear Morning (Red Fuji)

冨嶽三十六景 凱風快晴

Woodblock print (ōban) — Edo

Photograph of Tea-leaf Jar with Wisteria Design

Tea-leaf Jar with Wisteria Design

色絵藤花文茶壺

Tea-leaf jar — Edo· National Treasure

Photograph of Raku Tea Bowl named Fujisan

Raku Tea Bowl named Fujisan

Fujisan

Raku tea bowl — Edo· National Treasure

Photograph of Kakiemon Elephants

Kakiemon Elephants

柿右衛門様式 色絵象置物

Pair of porcelain figures — Edo

14 — Sources & references

  1. [1]
    https://blog.britishmuseum.org/the-great-wave-spot-the-difference/

    Museum · Museum · Supports: Collection, Description

  2. [2]
    Wikidata Q28912605

    Wikidata · Database · Supports: Name, Date, Maker, Collection · Accessed 2026-09-25

  3. [3]
    File:Tsunami by hokusai 19th century.jpg

    Wikimedia Commons · Image host

15 — Image credits

  1. Japanese: 『神奈川沖浪裏 』The Great Wave off Kanagawatitle QS:P1476,ja:"神奈川沖浪裏 "label QS:Lja,"神奈川沖浪裏 "label QS:Lit,"La grande onda di Kanagawa"label QS:Lfr,"La Grande Vague de Kanagawa"label QS:Lnl,"De grote golf van Kanagawa"label QS:Lde,"Die große Welle vor Kanagawa"label QS:Len,"The Great Wave off Kanagawa"label QS:Llv,"Lielais Kanagavas vilnis"label QS:Lar,"الموجة الكبيرة في كاناغاوا"

    Creator / Photographer
    Katsushika Hokusai
    Source
    Wikimedia Commons — File:Tsunami by hokusai 19th century.jpg ↗
    Credit
    Metropolitan Museum of Art: entry 45434
    Licence
    Public domain
All image credits →