Updated post from Sept, 2009
| The Great Wave off Kanagawa | |
|---|---|
| 神奈川沖浪裏, Kanagawa-oki Nami Ura | |
 Print at the Metropolitan Museum of Art | |
| Artist | Katsushika Hokusai |
| Year | 1831 |
| Type | Ukiyo-e (Woodblock print) |
| Dimensions | 24.6 cm × 36.5 cm (9.7 in × 14.4 in) |
This was one of those lessons that turned out better than I could have imagined. The kids were so excited about the subject matter. The giant wave, with the clawlike hands reaching toward the brave fishermen. Mt. Fuji in the background, with the Mt. Fuji wavelet mimicking Japan's most revered mountain. And of course the Yin/Yang symbolism and shape of the wave and the sky. (The 4th grade students doing this lesson knew all about Yin/Yang and were enthused to share with me their knowledge. Needless to say, the skateboard and surfing culture has given kids insight that I wouldn't have expected.)
Since this lesson was so well received, I decided to add it to my collection of PDF lessons available here. The lesson also includes a wonderful story about a time that Hokusai enlisted the help of "chickens" to create some art that earned him an honor among the Shogun military regime in Japan.
Big thanks to San Gabriel 4th graders for their art enthusiasm!
Big thanks to San Gabriel 4th graders for their art enthusiasm!
Update - June 4, 2025....Here are some fun "knock-offs" of The Great Wave, or as some might call it these days, "Creative Dupes (duplicates)" of The Great Wave.
https://www.artmajeur.com/art-now/en/artworks/11003218/the-big-wave
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