Ukiyo-e colours at your fingertips
Katsushika Hokusai was an ukiyo-e artist of the Edo period, celebrated worldwide for his iconic works.
Ukiyo-e, a traditional Japanese art form, is known for its exquisite woodblock prints depicting landscapes, Kabuki actors, and scenes from everyday life.
These designs draw inspiration from Hokusai’s The Great Wave off Kanagawa and Fine Wind, Clear Morning.
Both are among the most famous of the forty-six works in the artist’s classic Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, and are considered emblematic of his artistic style.
The Great Wave off Kanagawa
This work portrays people struggling against the power of nature, with several wooden vessels caught amid violent waves. A small Mount Fuji appears in the background, making the piece a masterful portrayal of contrasts—between motion and stillness, and between the large and the small.