The Great Wave off Kanagawa is the first print in Hokusai’s series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji.
Katsushika Hokusai created the landscape series during the late Edo period, around 1830–1832. Although its title promises thirty-six views, the series eventually contained forty-six prints: thirty-six original designs plus ten later additions. The series shows Mount Fuji from varied locations, seasons, and weather conditions.
The Great Wave became the best-known image in the group. Its dramatic wave, tiny boats, and distant Fuji combine Japanese ukiyo-e traditions with Western-influenced perspective. A common mix-up is assuming that the print’s famous status means it was added later; it was actually placed at the beginning of the series.
The original Japanese title, Kanagawa-oki nami ura, means roughly “Under the Wave off Kanagawa.” The work was printed using, among other pigments, imported Prussian blue, whose strong color helped define its striking appearance.