“The Great Wave off Kanagawa,” by Katsushika Hokusai, 1831. This copy resides at the Art Institute of Chicago. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
Few works of art are recognizable to almost everyone around the world, but one such work is Katsushika Hokusai's The Great Wave off Kanagawa, also called Under the Wave off Kanagawa. The Japanese woodblock print, created by the artist in 1831, has touched every corner of the world. From 100-year-old diamond tiaras to modern-day Japanese currency and even LEGO sets. There are few realms of art and culture immune to the wave. For fans of the iconic work, they can now see it on view for the first time in five years at the Art Institute of Chicago.
The woodblock print depicts two boats rocking on an extreme, cresting wave. Behind the stormy sea is a snowy peak, that of Mount Fuji. Hence the name of the series in which the work belongs: Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji. Many may not know that the work is one of a series, and that the famous print itself was replicated many times with the slowly wearing woodblock. The delightfully carved and colored image is one of about 100 still in existence, printed among a few thousand in the 19th century. A particularly lucky museum, the Art Institute of Chicago has three of these elusive copies. But they are far from photo copies. As the woodblock was repeatedly used to make prints, it wore down. Therefore the later of the three shows gaps in lines and less sharp precision due to this wear.
Despite having three copies, the museum must be judicious with its treasures. The dyes used to color the works are light sensitive. In a statement from the museum, they explain, “The Great Wave has not been on view in the Art Institute galleries for five years because, like all prints, it is susceptible to light damage and must rest a minimum of five years between showings to preserve its colors and vibrance.”
After over five years, one of the three prints is emerging from the depths of the collection. It will be on display until January 6, 2025. Visitors will be able to marvel at one of the most influential pieces of art in history before it returns to sleep in the dark cool of its preservation box.
A copy of Hokusai's The Great Wave will be on view at the Art Institute of Chicago for the first time in over five years, due to its light-sensitive condition.
h/t: [Kottke]
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