Friday, 22 August 2025

More Homages to Hokusai's Great Wave


As noted in my last post on this topic, The Great Wave Off Kanagawa, also known as The Great Wave or simply The Wave, is a woodblock print by the Japanese ukiyo-e artist Hokusai, dating from 1829 to 1833. These days this iconic print is the subject of an infinite variety of pop art references made in homage to it. And it is always instantly recognizable no matter what form it takes. 

I've come across some more marvelous examples on the internet since my last post, so here they are for your viewing pleasure --


This photo is of the Boucheron Wave Diamond Tiara created around 1910 --


This photo from 2007 is of Rice paddy art (tanbo āto) in the village of Inakadate in northern Japan --


Christian Dior also paid homage to Hokusai in his 2007 couture collection --


And, of course, cats seem to be disproportionately represented in current pop art homages --





31 comments:

Marie Smith said...

The tiara must have been quite heavy!

Boud said...

The tiara!

Tom said...

...Debra, you scored again!

Pixie said...

That rice paddy is amazing. I'm guessing the artist would be surprised and pleased that their art is so well known across the world today.

Sixpence Notthewiser said...

It is iconic.
That coffee pot? The kitty kimono? Yes.

XOXO

Ms. Moon said...

Where would we be without the artists?

Bob said...

I love all of these but the coffee pot speaks to me, and the rice paddy is gorgeous.

Ellen D. said...

They are having a Hokusai exhibition at a community college not far from me and my oldest son took me a couple of weeks ago. It was so fabulous! It's touring across the country, I think, and it's really worth seeing. There are some photos at this link:
https://clevecarney-gallery.squarespace.com/hokusai

gz said...

And how many realise that the image is read from right to left?

Mr. Shife said...

The rice paddy art is awesomeness and the cats are pretty cool too. My preference would be to see some basset hounds but the cats make it work. 😀 And The Wave is one of Hayden's favorite art pieces. She still has the poster somewhere in her science experiment or room as she calls it.

Asep Haryono said...

Every homage is a reminder of how timeless art can be, crashing through centuries and still capturing imagination in fresh, unexpected ways.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

@ Ellen D. -- How wonderful! Thanks for that link, the exhibit and surrounding events all sound terrific! I'd love to be able to go myself.

sirkkis said...


I love the cute cat versions 🐈🌊😽

Margaret said...

That rice paddy art is incredible but as a cat owner, I loved the feline art.

Barbara said...

Isn't that Rice Paddy amazing. With the trickery on the internet these days you have to wonder if anything is real. Still, its great.

Tundra Bunny said...

Funny how so many cats show up in pop art with The Wave since I thought most cats hate water! I did see a "Wave" shower curtain online the other day and thought of you, LOL.

Yorkshire Pudding said...

"The Great Wave off Kanagawa" seems so modern even though it was produced in the first half of the nineteenth century. The three boats that are almost hidden in the waves add a note of terror. Does every onlooker notice them?

Bill said...

Amazing art!

Moving with Mitchell said...

The coffee pot and the rice paddy art. Wow!

Linda's Relaxing Lair said...

I love ❤️ the cats 🐈 😻 🐈‍⬛️

Kay G. said...

Love them all. My son had the print on his wall as a teenager. He always has had great taste!

DB Stewart said...

Ha! The cats.

Guillaume said...

Funny, my son mentioned the Great Wave recently. He told me he wants to go to Japan to see it.

Liam Ryan said...

The Hokusai picture is still, even now, a vivid and gripping image. and of course totally beautiful.
It has a special place in the history of modern art too.
Post more on art please :)

Kirk said...

Favorite is the measuring cup. Don't spill it!

Kathy G said...

When that coffee wave crests it will make a huge mess.

DVArtist said...

I have two of the Great Wave. One is a small one that my grandmother gave me and then I got a poster of it that Mr. M. Framed. One of my favorite artists

Catalyst said...

Love the cat-apulting cats!

Anonymous said...

It's amazing how a piece of art can inspire across generations. I hadn't seen the cats before!
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baili said...

Wow this is really amazing dear Debra that how Hokusai ‘s art had been inspiring so many other creative minds 🤗👍
I so enjoyed your collection of art which seems truly a unique yet fascinating tribute to Hokusai 👌🥰♥️
Glad you chose to share friend 👍♥️

Rade said...

This is great!