The Great Wave may be one of the most recognisable works of art in the world, and now it's available as a LEGO Art project. LEGO Art Hokusai: The Great Wave enables you to recreate Hokusai's legendary print and put it on your wall.
I love this. Not only does it recreate a genuinely beautiful woodblock print from the 1830s, but its multi-layered, 1,810-piece design makes the great wave look like it's bursting out of the frame.
What is The Great Wave?
The Great Wave is part of a series of woodblock prints by the Japanese artist Hokusai, who created the Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji series in late 1831.
The Great Wave was the first in the series, and it caused a huge shock in the Japanese art world of the time: Hokusai fused traditional Japanese printing with the graphical perspectives of European art, creating a whole new style that became hugely influential. It's testament to the power of the image that you're as likely to see it as an online meme or parody as you are to see the original. And you can see its echoes in art by the likes of Van Gogh, Monet and Debussy too.
The Great Wave could well be one of the most reproduced images in the history of art, and it's definitely the most famous Japanese artwork. LEGO isn't kidding when it calls the print a "masterpiece", and I love the thought that this project will bring it to a whole new audience.
LEGO reckons the project is a great way to de-stress too. Quoting research from the LEGO group's Play Well 2022 report, it says that 93% of adults regularly find themselves feeling stressed and want to find ways to unwind; 92% find their flow through hobbies and interests such as, you've guessed it, LEGO.
The Great Wave will be available online from LEGO.com and LEGO retailers from the 1st of January 2023 for $99.99 / £89.99. You can find out more about the project here.
