Hokusai’s The Great Wave

By Miranda Ma and Miya Lasher

The Great Wave created by Hokusai is one of the most famous art pieces from the Edo period. The woodblock print is well-known worldwide and has become a staple image in society. For this project, our original focus question pertained to how this piece, Hokusai’s The Great Wave, influenced Western and Modern Art? This was a good starting point and the question we presented during the midterm presentations. As we began our research, we looked more into what elements and techniques specifically were inspirations, for example the strokes and portrayal of the waves in The Great Wave being very similar to the swirls of Van Gogh’s The Starry Night. We were also curious to look at why specifically Hokusai is such a significant influence on modern and western art. So, our question evolved to: Why does Hokusai and his works have such a significant influence on Western and Modern art, and what specific attributes to the works were inspirational? We wanted to hone in on what it was specifically about his works that were inspiring artists from all around the world. Additionally, we were able to find more unique examples of art that were directly inspired by The Great Wave to help further support our newer question. Our project responds to the core question of the course “What is Asian Art” because we focus on exploring a popular piece of Asian art design, as well as its meaning and background. Additionally, we dive deeper in research on how it’s gone on to become so popular and inspire other artists on a global scale like Van Gogh, John Cederquist, etc.

Our project consists of five art pieces that provide strong evidence for our research question. The five pieces are: The Great Wave by Katsushika Hokusai; The Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh; How To Wrap Five Waves by John Cederquist; The Wave Bowl by Christopher Dresser; and the La Mer Album by Claude Debussy. For our midterm, we started off with just analyzing the first three artifacts mentioned– as we collected more information for the final, we found Dresser’s and Debussy’s works to be exemplary artifacts to support our research. 

Our personal interest in this topic stems from adoration and interest towards the beauty of this print and curiosity as to why it was created. We have always seen this art print image on commercialized items like tapestries, computer cases, puzzles, and more so we were interested in how the piece’s influence became so popular and mass produced. There is also a musical connection with this art piece and Debussy’s La Mer which was cool to look at since we also both have a passion for music. 

We decided that it would be best to build a timeline for our artifacts. Since we are looking at how Hokusai’s The Great Wave impacted future works, we thought adding a timeline would give more context to how each work was directly influenced by The Great Wave, as well as giving historical context to each artifact. Clearly, the timeline starts with The Great Wave piece, which was created during the Edo Period. The Edo period was a time under the Tokugawa regime. This consisted of a rigid class structure, as well as the country being very isolated from the rest of the world. However, the economy flourished under the stable environment, which resulted in Edo (now Tokyo) being the most populous city in the world for most of the 18th century. The art of the Edo period was particularly focused in nature, especially when it came to pieces created with painting. 

The following pieces were next created in the 19th century, when the West developed a vast fascination with Asian cultural pieces. It was common to see objects like folding screens and calligraphy paintings in the homes of the wealthy. Famous works like The Great Wave became highly known throughout Western culture. During this time our second artifact, The Wave Bowl created by Christopher Dresser, was designed in Middlesbrough, UK at a Linthorpe earthenware factory in 1889. In the same time period, Van Gogh created The Starry Night, our third artwork, while in the sanatorium of St. Remy. Our fourth artifact, Debussy’s La Mer album, was next created in 1903. The album was first premiered in France on October 15, 1905 at the Concerts Lamoureux in Paris. 

Finally, we move to the most recent art piece: How to Wrap Fives Waves by John Cederquist. The piece was created in 1994, and Cederquist is actually a furniture constructor based in California. He is an artist who creates two-dimensional or three-dimensional forms inspired by Japanese artistic traditions and American cartoons. Our timeline helps to visualize when the five different artifacts were created and how historical details could be important to its creation. 

In Hokusai’s creation, The Great Wave, one can note the presence of Mt. Fuji, two boats of people, and the great wave itself. In Japanese culture, Mt. Fuji is regarded as extremely sacred, mainly due to it being the tallest mountain in Japan. However, Hokusai purposefully made Mt. Fuji to be significantly smaller than the grand wave, that presents danger to both the mountain and the people in the boat. Hokusai also placed Mt. Fuji at the center of the image, making it an anchor to the piece. Mt. Fuji seems to represent resilience in Hokusai’s print, for it overcomes its size (its weakness) and still grounds the artwork. The use of “ukiyo-e” or woodblock printing techniques allows Hokusai to create intricate details and textures with skilled precision. The layered and textured surfaces add depth and complexity to the image. It’s also striking to see the use of the colors prussian blue and indigo to create this hauntingly beautiful dark blue hue. These colors highlight the depth and movement within the wave. We also see some dramatic contrast within colors as the white foam on the edges of the wave adds drama and tension. All of these artistic techniques were utilized intentionally by Hokusai to bring forth powerful emotions and reactions towards the piece. 

 The Great Wave print was created by Hokusai during the Edo period in 1603-1868. This period of time was marked by natural disasters including earthquakes and tsunamis, which had a profound impact on Japanese society and culture, influencing artistic depictions of nature and the environment. During this time period, Ukiyo-e woodblock prints also became popular so many artists like Hokusai drew inspiration from the nation’s natural disasters. In Hokusai’s The Great Wave, a central theme and symbol of his print is Mount Fuji. Mount Fuji represents deep cultural and spiritual significance within Japanese culture and society and is often depicted in Ukiyo-e prints as a national symbol. By placing Mount Fuji in the background of The Great Wave, Hokusai may have intended to convey themes of strength, endurance, and the balance of peace since it specifically contrasts the chaos and crashing of the great wave. After gaining worldwide recognition and influencing many other artists with The Great Wave, Hokusai became one of the most influential Ukiyo-e artists of the Edo period. He produced a vast body of work encompassing a wide range of subjects, including landscapes, nature, mythology, and daily life. 

Our second chosen artifact is Vincent Van Gogh’s The Starry Night. This piece depicts a swirling night sky filled with stars and a crescent moon, overlooking a peaceful village. Van Gogh’s signature technique creates texture and movement throughout the painting. This piece was painted in 1889 and Van Gogh created this work as a response to his surroundings and his inner emotional turmoil. Many believe this piece could have been directly influenced by The Great Wave by Hokusai after Van Gogh had viewed the piece. This is mainly based on the artistic aspects shared in both works, like how the swirl of the sky in Starry Night is very similar to the swirl of the waves. Another aspect is the prominence and importance of the blues in both pieces. Besides these artistic interpretations, it is said that Van Gogh loved Japanese prints, especially Hokusai’s works. Van Gogh even wrote a letter to his brother about The Great Wave, detailing the waves: “these waves are claws, the boat is caught in them, you can feel it.” Van Gogh’s admiration of Hokusai and The Great Wave appears evident in his creation The Starry Night. More on the piece, The Starry Night is believed to reflect Van Gogh’s inner struggles with mental illness and his longing for solace and connection with the divine. The swirling sky and the vibrant colors convey a sense of turbulence and intensity, while the peaceful village below suggests a sense of harmony and stability. The purpose of this painting was a personal expression for Van Gogh, as he sought to capture his emotional and psychological state.

Our third artifact is the most modern piece: How to Wrap Five Waves by John Cederquist. This piece is a captivating three-dimensional wooden sculpture characterized by intersecting geometric forms painted in vivid colors. The sculpture depicts five distinct wave-like shapes. The intricate detailing and vibrant hues create an illusion of movement and depth, inviting viewers to engage with the artwork from various angles. As well as inviting viewers on a visual journey that transcends conventional perceptions of form and space. This artwork emerges from Cederquist’s own exploration of Japanese packaging techniques, particularly inspired by The Great Wave by Hokusai. Cederquist was introduced to Hokusai by a fellow college student who worked heavily with all kinds of prints including woodblock prints. Similarly with Van Gogh, Cederquist admired how the waves in The Great Wave were curved and angled, and he said it inspired him specifically in this piece when creating the crates and waves. Cederquist became fascinated with Hokusai’s work, and he began studying and recreating it. He acquired different books on Hokusai and Japanese artworks, however he mentioned how these particular books were created by Americans who had been to Japan. When asked if he has been to Japan, he answered “I’ve seen a lot of Japanese movies. Old ones, you know, samurai movies… but then a lot of contemporary movies. And just, you know, it’s like I’ve been there.” This response then begs the question of cultural appropriation and accuracy, and what responsibility we have, as people, to ensure that we are accurately representing cultural works. Regardless of this point, this sculpture exemplifies Cederquist’s fusion of traditional craftsmanship with contemporary artistic expression, reflecting his fascination with the intersection of art, design, and cultural heritage.

One of our newest additions to our artifact collection is The Wave Bowl by Christopher Dresser. For this piece, it is clearly evident how Hokusai’s The Great Wave influenced it. One notable detail is how the outside of the bowl is completely blue, which is significant due to blue being an important part of both Asian art as well as Hokusai’s piece. One can also focus on how the right end of the bowl’s wave almost looks like a shell. This could visualize the bottom of the ocean, perhaps, and the intricate shells that lay at the bottom. It’s interesting to consider that since the other artworks don’t include those other aspects of the ocean like the living creatures, the plants, and shells. Another visual element is the yellow coloring for the inside of the bowl. The color yellow is associated often with the sun, which can be interpreted as a central point– this could communicate the message of the inner layer being as important as the outer layer that is displayed to others. From our research, Dresser evidently first encountered Asian art in 1862 at the World Fair in London. He observed many Japanese ceramics and artworks at stands at the fair. This first sparked his interest in Japanese artwork, and he later took a trip to Japan in 1878. There, he visited potteries and workshops, attempting to immerse and educate himself on Japanese practices and art processes. After this trip he published a book called Japan, Its Architecture, Art, and Art Manufactures in 1882. For this specific piece, Dresser did not create The Wave Bowl until the peak of the Industrial Revolution. He was influenced by the Revolution and wanted to create a piece that was functional as well as designed and attractive. He himself confirmed that the shape of the wave is based on Hokusai’s waves in The Great Wave.

Finally, we move to our last and most unique piece, Debussy’s La Mer album. Both Debussy and Hokusai share a passion and interest for the water and it is showcased in their various artworks. In Debussy’s La Mer, many elements of his musical composition were directly influenced by Hokusai’s The Great Wave. For example, Debussy’s album cover art is a cropped image of Hokusai’s The Great Wave which directly highlights the impact of Hokusai’s print on Debussy’s musical composition. Debussy’s composition captures the dynamic and ever-changing nature of the sea. The music ebbs and flows like the tides, conveying a sense of movement and vitality. 

In La Mer, Debussy utilizes a diverse range of musical colors and textures created by the orchestra to evoke different aspects of the sea. Debussy is able to bring out the color palette and textures musically that Hokusai set out to highlight in his visual art. 

Claude Debussy (1862-1918) was a French composer who always loved the sea. Because of his love for the water, he ended up incorporating it a lot as a big theme within his musical compositions. Debussy even had dreams of becoming a sailor when growing up which highlights how much he adored the water and its beauty. Another historical aspect to note in the Japonisme movement. The Japonisme movement that overtook France in the mid-nineteenth century heavily influenced Debussy. While a student in Rome from 1885–87, Debussy was often rummaging through the city’s antique shops and purchasing Japanese artifacts to take back to Paris. Debussy was known to take many of these items back to his apartment with him and kept a framed print of Hokusai’s The Great Wave. With the visual art influence of The Great Wave, Debussy wrote La Mer between 1903-1905. It was premiered by the Orchestre Lamoureux under the conductor Camielle Chevillard in Paris on October 15, 1905. Debussy was a very famous and successful music composer and shows how visual art can deeply impact and intersect performing arts in a beautiful way. 

This specific movement is one of three main movements depicting a dramatic dialogue between the wind and the sea, culminating in a powerful storm. Debussy employs bold and stormy orchestration with swirling strings, crashing percussion, and powerful brass fanfares evoking the fury of the storm. The sounds of the orchestra bring out the power and energy of the sea during a tempest, with the instruments creating a detailed imagery of howling winds, crashing waves, and thunderous rain. Debussy’s use of dissonance and chromaticism, which was a technique he was known to use, creates a sense of tension and unease, reflecting the chaotic nature of the storm. 

As we can hear and imagine, this part of the album’s movement seems to be highly related to what Hokusai and viewers of The Great Wave would have imagined hearing when crafting his visual art version of The Great Wave. 

Overall, we determined that Hokusai’s piece, The Great Wave, was extremely influential on Western and modern art. All of these five pieces exemplify this in different ways, some of these ways being Hokusai’s techniques, the Edo artistic aesthetic in general, and the Japonisme construct. Hokusai’s creation was clearly groundbreaking and impacted how art has and continues to evolve in modern times. 

Bibliography

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