Short read. Describes Jumpei Mitsui's lego sculpture of the great wave print. No pictures. I recommend https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2020/12/jumpei-mitsui-great-w... which has pictures and embedded video links. The value add here is in relaying that he chose solid blue and lighting rather than different colored bricks for the different shades.
It's notable because it's a very traditional Japanese woodblock but done with Prussian Blue which was at the time only recently introduced in Japan due to the end of Japan's isolationism. Depending on one's interpretation the wave could signify the tidal wave of cultural change approaching Japan.
1- The Great Wave off Kanagawa-(Kanagawa oki nami- ura)
At the time of its creation, The great wave off Kanagawa (The great wave), 1830–34, was simply one of the compositions comprising Hokusai’s Mt Fuji series. Within a short period of time, however, it became a favourite with Edo’s print-loving public. Within four decades, the print was heralded by modern artists and thinkers in Europe, and during the twentieth century its status as, arguably, the single most famous image in all Asian art was established.
In addition to The great wave’s sheer graphic beauty, there is a compelling compositional force in its contrast between wave and mountain. The horizon has been lowered to emphasise the height of the monstrous towering wave which stands in tense juxtaposition over the graceful lines of a diminutive Mt Fuji.
The dynamic composition creates a coexistence between human frailty and the power of nature. We see tiny fishermen huddled in their sleek crafts ride down one wave, dive straight into the next and endeavour to come out the other side. Every morning these boats, named oshiokuribune, transported fish to markets in Edo Bay from villages on the Bōsō Peninsula. The lifelike tentacles of the wave are captivating, and the undulating water allow us to share in the boatmen’s perilous situation.
You're always free to challenge whether or not any particular piece of art is "good" -- who can say, really? But there isn't really any doubt that this one is, to use the title's word, iconic.
If you're curious about the process I would highly recommend David Bull's pamphlet and series of youtube videos detailing the extensive process of recreating the print in 2014/2015: https://mokuhankan.com/catalogue/0293.php
The only great answer to this question would be the image itself. Like dancing about architecture or movie adaptations of video games, there’s no way to use written text to convey the essential qualities of an image. Yes, you can get various historical perspectives on why it has come to be so reveled, or accounts of what people take away from it, but none of that can give you a better impression of what’s so good about the image than the image itself.
I get a sense of calm while at the same time feeling terrified of nature. The color palette is unmatched. The feeling of movement contrasted with the feeling of calm is impeccable. It looks different from most art I've seen in my life.
Others have explained what happened historically to propogate and promote these feelings evoked by this artwork.
