Japanese art is backed by a rich and unique history. The art comes in several forms: pottery, calligraphy, architecture, painting, bronzes, sculpture and other fine visual arts (Lane 73).The art is influenced by the dominant techniques and styles that were exclusive to the Japanese artists. For several centuries, Japan was isolated from the rest of the world. This was not only because of its geographical location but also because of the dominant Japanese cultural inclination towards isolation. In its isolation, the art and culture of Japan developed separately from the rest of the world. This is evident in the unique painting practices of the Japanese artists. Over the years, as Japan embraced foreign influence, the artists became influenced by Chinese art and later by Western traditions. During the pre-war period that lasted from 1868 to 1945, the Japanese paintings were strongly influenced by European romanticism and Impressionism. During this period, the European art movements were equally influenced by Japanese art; an influence referred to as Japonism (Lane 117). The history of Japanese art can be well understood as a synthesis of a variety of traditions that contribute to the recognizable aesthetics in Japanese art. The aesthetics of Japanese art was particularly influenced by the Buddhist art and painting technique as well as the religious paintings. One of the most recognized Japanese art is the painting: The Great wave off Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai. This painting is often referred to as the face of Japanese art. Over the years, it has garnered worldwide acclamation and remains to be the most recognized of all Japanese artwork.
The Great Wave off Kanagawa is a woodblock print by the master of ukiyo-e Hokusai. The painting was published between 1829 and 1833 as the first print of the Thirty Six views of Mount Fuji, a series of art depicting Mount Fuji in Japan (Dudley, Serrano and Dias 161). The series depicted Mount Fuji from various distances and angles. The painting is one of the most recognized Japanese work of art and the most famous art by the painter. Hokusai is considered one of the most internationally acclaimed artists of Asian origin and his painting the Great wave off Kanagawa is to a large extent the face of Japanese art throughout the world. His works had a great influence on impressionist and post-impressionist painters like Monet, Renoir, and Van Gogh.
The image depicts a huge wave towering above boats off the coastal town of Kanagawa. While some scholars have debated on the possibility of the wave being a tsunami, the wave appears to be an enormous rogue wave (Cartwright and Nakamura 131). As in other prints in the series, the painting depicts an area surrounding Mount Fuji. The mountain appears at the distant background and is easily noticeable. The painting composition comprises three main elements; three boats, the sea whipped up by what appears to be a storm and a mountain in the background. On the upper left-hand corner is the signature of the painter.
Relationship to the Art