The Great Wave

An eccentric and humourous man who designed manga and cartoons, the Japanese woodcut master Hokusai was also known by at least 30 names during his lifetime. Although the use of multiple names was a common practice of Japanese artists of the time, the numbers of names he used far exceeds that of any other major Japanese artist. Hokusai's name changes are so frequent, and related to changes in his artistic production and style, that they are useful for breaking his life up into periods.


The Great Wave Off Kanagawa, published between 1830 and 1833, is his most famous work and one of the best recognised images in the world. It depicts a giant wave which some think may be a tsunami, with Mount Fuji prominent in the distance. The following images are either based on the wave itself or make use of it as a source of inspiration:

Burn brightly, Pete.