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Visual Form
It is important to note that The Great Wave off Kanagawa belongs to the genre of ukiyo-e. A pattern in the picture is a pyramidal wave that appeared at the mouth of Kanagawa. It is interesting to mention that the artist created the bends of the wave and the boats hull with the help of the line. At the same time, a large wave is made with the use of a line, the top of which creates a diagonal line that leads the viewers eye straight to the top of the mountain (Axford 116). The painting also has a linen structure, which helps the author to draw an engraving in the landscape.
In addition, part of the composition has a round shape, and the wave and space that create the volume resemble the Yin-Yang symbol. The Great Wave off Kanagawa is a synthesis of the Japanese style and Western perspective (Axford 116). The painting uses symmetrical balance, which creates the absence of movement. In the painting, the wave is proportionally more significant than all other elements; also, because the boats are the central components, they also have larger proportions. Instead, the scale of the mountain, which is located in the background, is insignificant (Axford 116). The emphasis of the painting is shifted to the big mountain and the boats near it. Unity and variety are used by establishing controls with parallel lines and dull colors.
Media and Technique
The artwork belongs to the art form of painting, namely woodblock print. Technically, the picture is made with the help of polychrome (multicolor) woodblock print. It is created with the use of ink and colored paper (Waterton 2). It is essential to note that The Great Wave off Kanagawa is produced in landscape format and measures 25 cm × 37 cm (Waterton 4).
Function
The primary function of the painting is to present Japanese culture and explain its hidden meanings. For instance, the wave depicts a large and powerful wave that is about to hit the boats, which are not stable (Waterton 2). Therefore, it can be assumed that this symbolizes the entire Japanese people, who constantly suffer from natural phenomena but continue to develop successfully. Besides, the engraving depicts the distant Mount Fuji in terms of geometric language (Waterton 2). This suggests that the author of the picture believes that the Japanese people will overcome all disasters and achieve peace.
Artistic Movement and Style
The artwork was created with the help of Ukiyo-e style. The style was formed under the clear influence of the philosophy of Zen Buddhism (Wright 447). At the same time, the most famous artist of this style is Katsushika Hokusai, The Great Wave off Kanagawa is also drawn in the style of Ukiyo-e.
Content and Symbolism
It is essential to specify that the engraving depicts three boats trying to move through the sea when there is a storm and big waves appear. Thus, the wave made a spiral in the center of the picture, where the boats were caught (Wright 447). At the same time, Mount Fuji is visible in the background, symbolizing calm. Furthermore, Hokusai used a non-standard blue wash for Japanese culture, which made this print special (Wright 447). It is also possible to trace the symbolism because the big waves that can flood the boats appear more significant than the mountain in the background.
Context
This is part of the authors general composition, Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Vermeulen et al. 5). Significantly, the painting was created during the period of Japanese culture and religious development. Therefore, one of the accents in the painting is Mount Fuji, which is sacred to all Japanese. Moreover, the scene with a strong wave and boats in the background of the mountain symbolizes the tension in society but the possibility of solving problems with the help of religion. Meanwhile, the style and form of the painting are innovative for Japanese culture because blue colors are used, which are more typical for European countries (Wright 447). Therefore, it can be concluded that the artist created the painting of their own free will and was not influenced by the state.
Aesthetics
It is essential to mention that Katsushika Hokusai did not adhere to the classical Japanese engraving style. Moreover, the artist did not follow the classical subjects inherent in Japanese culture and did not depict the usual landscapes. Katsushika Hokusai attempted to represent nature radically differently, which is why he chose mixed blue colors and the theme of the sea. At the same time, Pointhianism is one of the most widespread religions in Japan. It represents the natural world and the kingdom of the Gods (Vermeulen et al. 2). Therefore, it is possible to point out that the artist in the picture adheres to basic religious principles. That is, the waves depicted in the painting express the fury of the sea, which is unpredictable. This symbolizes the power of the gods glorified by the Japanese religion. In addition, fishermen on tiny boats can be seen along the bends of the waves (Vermeulen et al. 2). That is, human lives are completely dependent on how high the waves will rise.
Theoretical Approaches
I better understood the essence of the artwork when I considered Hokusais use of fractals in art. Then, I realized that order could arise through chaos, and there is a connection between these opposite meanings. For example, the chaos of the waves and the calmness of the mountain demonstrate the connection between these concepts. That is, I realized that the waves are stormy but have ordered, although they look strong and ruthless to people (Lydiate 43). I also think that Hokusai suggests that humanity should respect nature and obey it to survive.
Works Cited
Axford, Martin. The Story of Paintings. The School Librarian, vol. 66, no. 2, 2018, pp. 114-116.
Lydiate, Henry. Get Minted. Art Monthly, vol. 453, 2022, pp. 40-45.
Vermeulen, Marc, et al. Beyond The Connoisseurship Approach: Creating a Chronology in Hokusai Prints Using Non-Invasive Techniques and Multivariate Data Analysis. Heritage Science, vol. 8, no. 1, 2020, pp. 1-13.
Waterton, Emma. Changes, Then and Now. Landscape Research, vol, 44, no. 1, 2019, pp. 1-5.
Wright, Thomas. Late, Great Art. The Lancet, vol. 390, no. 0093, 2017, p. 447.
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