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This artwork was created by Katsushika Hokusai in 1826. The medium was color woodblock printing. It is located in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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These Sculptures were created between 1722 to 1868 and restored in 1978. They were carved out of volcanic rock. They are located 150 meters inland from the shore of Anakena Beach.

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This video shows how woodblock building works. The public can get a view of the process and the time it took for Hokusai to make "The Great Wave".

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How Did Hokusai Create The Great Wave? | Christie's

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This article talks about 20 facts about "The Great Wave off Kanagawa". The public would get background information of the piece and what makes it so fascinating.

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It is one of the most recognizable Japanese art works in the world, and it was created in the 19th-century.

"The Great Wave off Kanagawa" is a 10.1'' × 14.9'' (25.7 cm × 37.8 cm) woodblock print painted by Katsushika Hokusai, a Japanese ukiyo-e artist.

Hokusai's most famous work depicts a giant wave about to smash three small boats navigating off the coast of Kanagawa, with Mount Fuji rising in the background.

Kanagawa, now known as the city of Yokohama, was a former Japanese seaside prefecture located on the outskirts of Tokyo.

With "The Great Wave," the artist wanted to illustrate the power Nature can have on human life - the tentacles of the ocean about to claim a few lives.

Let's dive into the stunning piece of art that has become a global phenomenon.

1. "The Great Wave" was released somewhere between 1829 and 1833 as the first print of the "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji" series;

2. The actual title translates to "Under the Wave of Kanagawa";

3. Although commonly considered a tsunami wave, it is supposed to be a rogue wave that catches the fishermen off guard;

4. Mount Fuji, which appears on the center of the print, is considered a sacred symbol of Japanese identity;

5. The dark tones around Mount Fuji seem to tell the observer that the scene takes place early in the morning, as the sun rises from behind the viewer, illuminating the snowy peak of Japan's highest mountain;

6. The boats pictured in the print are oshiokuri-bune, fast boats used by fishermen to transport fish from Izu and Bōsō to the markets of the Tokyo Bay, formerly known as Edo Bay;

7. The signature of the Japanese printmaker can be found on the upper left-hand corner. It reads: "From the brush of Hokusai, who changed his name to Iitsu";

8. It is estimated that between 5,000 and 8,000 prints were made of "The Great Wave off Kanagawa";

9. "The Great Wave" was one of the many images created by ukiyo-e printmakers to be sold to a growing Japanese middle class by the equivalent of a noodle soup;

10. "The Great Wave off Kanagawa" is influenced by Western painting techniques, including the illusion of depth, a low horizon line, and the appearance of Prussian blue, the first-ever modern synthetic pigment;

11. Hokusai has always been fascinated by the movement of water, and the topic was explored continuously throughout his career;

12. Before developing "The Great Wave off Kanagawa," Hokusai created two prints that served as inspiration for the famous illustration: "Kanagawa-Oki Honmoku no zu" (circa 1803) and "Oshiokuri Hato Tsusen No Zu" (circa 1805);

13. Hokusai (1760-1849) was already 60 when he created his most famous print;

14. When Hokusai's work was shown at the 1867 International Exposition, in Paris, and 22 years after his death, his prints were admired and collected by many fine artists like Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, and Edgar Degas;

15. "The Great Wave inspired Claude Debussy's orchestral composition "La Mer" (1903-1905);

16. "The Great Wave off Kanagawa" was adopted by modern Western culture and can be seen in a wide variety of situations including t-shirts, tattoos, emojis, contemporary artworks, beer ads, book covers, etc.;

17. In 2009, and based on the size of the oshiokuri-bune boats, scholars Julyan H.E. Cartwright and Hisami Nakamura concluded that the plunging breaker measures between 32 and 39 feet;

18. It is believed that the tsunami that hit northern Japan in 1896 helped make "The Great Wave" an internationally recognized work of art;

19. The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the British Museum, and the National Gallery of Victoria are some of the institutions that own original impressions of the iconic print;

20. The original Japanese title is 神奈川沖浪裏;

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"The Great Wave off Kanagawa": 20 fascinating facts about the famous Japanese print

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"The Great Wave off Kanagawa" is a 10.1'' × 14.9'' (25.7 cm × 37.8 cm) woodblock print painted by Katsushika Hokusai, a Japanese ukiyo-e artist. Hokusai's most famous work depicts a giant wave about to smash three small boats navigating off the coast of Kanagawa, with Mount Fuji rising in the background.

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This artwork was created by Lady K'ab'al Xook in 725 CE. The medium was carved limestone. It's location is Chiapas, Mexico.

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This link is a 3D model of Ahu Nau Nau. The public would be able to zoom in to see all the details and look around it.  I thought it was really neat.

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One of the most recognizable sites in Rapa Nui, Ahu Nau Nau is a restored ceremonial platform site with 7 giant moai statues. The red hat stones on four of the best preserved moai are known as pukao and can weigh up to 10 tonnes.

Explore museums and play with Art Transfer, Pocket Galleries, Art Selfie, and more

Recommended

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3D model of Ahu Nau Nau - Rapa Nui - CyArk - Google Arts & Culture

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One of the most recognizable sites in Rapa Nui, Ahu Nau Nau is a restored ceremonial platform site with 7 giant moai statues. The red hat stones on four of the best preserved moai are known as pukao and can weigh up to 10 tonnes.

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This article has a lot of research about the Ahu Nau Nau and its location. It would give the public an understanding of where the sculptures are located and more facts about them.

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AHU NAU NAU | The moai statues on Anakena beach - Easter Island

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The vision of the Ahu Nau Nau framed between the palm trees of the exotic beach of Anakena is one of the most beautiful that can be seen on Easter Island. The human contribution throughout history, added to the natural beauty of this small bay, have created a dreamy polynesian scene.

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This sculpture was created in 883-859 BCE by the Assyrian King Ashurnasirpal II. The medium is carved gypsum. It is located at the Assyrian Gallery of the Iraq Museum.

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This is scholarly research. It is another source that the public can use to learn more about these statues.

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Illustration

This is a pair of guardian figures (winged human-headed lions) that flanked one of the entrances into the throne room of Ashurnasirpal II (883-859 BCE). Stone mythological guardians, sculpted in relief or in the round, were often placed at gateways to ancient Mesopotamian palaces, to protect them from demonic forces. They were known to the Assyrians as lamassu. This winged lion has five legs so that when viewed from the front it is standing firm, and when viewed from the side it appears to be striding forward against any evil. It wears ropes like other protective spirits. Between the legs is inscribed the "Standard Inscription" of Ashurnasirpal II which is repeated over many of his reliefs. It records the king's titles, ancestry and achievements.

Nimrud (ancient Kalhu), north-west palace, room B, door a, panel 2. Neo-Assyrian era, 883-859 BCE, Mesopotamia, Iraq. (The British Museum, London)

About the Author

Associate Professor of Neurology and lover of the Cradle of Civilization, Mesopotamia. I'm very interested in Mesopotamian history and always try to take photos of archaeological sites and artifacts in museums, both in Iraq and around the world.

License & Copyright

Uploaded by Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin, published on 06 February 2014. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: Copyright. You cannot use, copy, distribute, or modify this item without explicit permission from the author. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.

Cite This Work

APA Style

Amin, O. S. M. (2014, February 06). Lamassu from Ashurnasirpal II Palace. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/2295/lamassu-from-ashurnasirpal-ii-palace/

Chicago Style

Amin, Osama Shukir Muhammed. " Lamassu from Ashurnasirpal II Palace." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified February 06, 2014. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/2295/lamassu-from-ashurnasirpal-ii-palace/.

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Associate Professor of Neurology and lover of the Cradle of Civilization, Mesopotamia. I'm very interested in Mesopotamian history and always try to take photos of archaeological sites and artifacts in museums, both in Iraq and around the world. Uploaded by Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin, published on 06 February 2014.

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This video goes into great detail about the sculpture's origin and details in the piece. The public can get a better understanding of why the sculpture was created.

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This is scholarly research about this piece. The public would get more information about the dimensions, description, and medium.

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Lintel 24: Carved limestone lintel, showing a bloodletting ritual performed b, Lady K’ab’al Xook. The ruler of Yaxchilan, Itzaamnaj B’ahlam (her husband) holds a flaming torch over his wife, who is pulling a obsidian studded rope through her tongue. Scrolls of blood around her mouth. The lintel was painted and has traces of red and blue pigment.

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This is a 3D model of the Lamassu. The public can look at it all around, and it has a lot of detail.

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The left British Museum Lamassu, recently cleaned by the excellent conservators. Shot from floor level, 140 photographs Sony A6000. - Most of a Lamassu - Download Free 3D model by danielpett

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This video tells you how to get there, the location, and facts about Yaxchilan Lintel 24. It would give the public more knowledge about the piece.

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This is a 3D model of the Yaxchilan Lintel 24. The public would be able to see more details from all directions.

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Lintel 24: Carved limestone lintel, showing a bloodletting ritual performed by the king of Yaxchilan, Shield Jaguar II and his wife, Lady K’ab’al Xook. The king holds a flaming torch over his wife, who is pulling a thorny rope through her tongue.

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This youtube video is great at describing the Ahu Nau Nau and its history. This would help the public understand the history behind the sculptures and envision themselves there like the man on the video.

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This is a 3D tour of a 2D image. The public would get descriptions of each aspect of the image.

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The Great Wave off Kanagawa, Katsushika Hokusai

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Trying out a 3D tour of a public domain 2D image. This scene also includes a reverse-engineered print block for you to download and 3D print - I don’t have access to a printer so please let me know if it works in the comments! “The Great Wave off Kanagawa (神奈川沖浪裏?