Katsushika Hokusai: The Great Wave off Kanagawa (Under the Wave off Kanagawa)

The Great Wave off Kanagawa Created during Japan's Edo period, Hokusai's iconic woodblock print represents the pinnacle of ukiyo-e artistry and captures the dramatic intersection of nature's power and human resilience. The composition masterfully employs Prussian blue—a revolutionary pigment newly available in Japan—to frame the towering wave, while Mount Fuji appears almost diminished in the background, creating a striking reversal of perspective that challenged traditional Japanese aesthetics. This 1832 print became one of the most recognizable images in art history, influencing countless Western artists and symbolizing the profound cultural exchange between Japan and Europe during the modernization era.