Art History Assignment

4/19/2021

Artwork and Artists background: name, date and period of the artwork? Date and location of
birth the artist? Where have they lived (if different from place of birth) and studied?
Great Wave by the Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai. It was published in 1831. He was
born in Edo, Japan (Tokyo) on October 31st, 1760. He lived in the district of Edo, where he was
born. He worked as an apprentice to a woodcarver until the age of 18, when he entered the
studio of Katsukawa Shunsho. He also went to the Tawaraya School.

Major Accomplishments: (5 points) Why are they famous? What are they best known for? Did
they receive any awards or honors? Did they invent any new techniques or materials?
Hokusai is famous for introducing European perspective to Japanese printmaking. He used
various framing mechanisms to emphasize focal points and create depth in his images, the
technique he used was unprecedented in Hokusai’s day. Hokusai moved the Ukiyo-e genre
images from traditionally being focused on people to highlighting landscapes and the changing
seasons. He is best-known for the woodblock print series 36 Views of Mount Fiji, which includes
The Great Wave. To make his paintings, he used polychrome woodblock print.

What made their work unique or changed the direction of art? What style of art did they do?
(10 points) How did their work effect art history? How was this piece culturally significant to
the time period? How did it influence other artists? Why is the piece of art still considered
important today?
This piece of art I would say is still considered important today. In the aftermath of a horrid
earthquake and tsunami in Tohku, Japan in 2011 this piece of work popped up everywhere
again from relief fundraising appeals to the work of Japanese artists who adapted it to
comment on the disaster. Since this artwork not only symbolizes tsunamis, but hurricanes and
plane crashes into the sea, this has become a global icon as instantly recognizable. Hokusai’s
work helped shape impressionism in Europe. He also influenced other Japanese artists,
particularly ukiyo-e artists. Hokusai was a translator and an interacting point between the most
distinctive styles from both East and West. He made the unknown culture of Japan easily
readable. The culturally significant points were the waves that represented heavily what they
went through being so close to water.