The Great Wave off Kanagawa

High school (ages 12+)
Art & Creativity

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/the-great-wave-off-kanagawa

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the artistic medium and technique?Color woodblock print (nishiki-e) on paper
2. What is the period of creation?Late Edo period, circa 1830-1832
3. Who made the Great Wave and when?The artist is Katsushika Hokusai, who lived from 1760 to 1849. He created the print around 1830-1832, near the end of his long career.
4. Why does the wave look so big in the picture?Hokusai drew the wave with strong curves and foam that look like claws, making it feel powerful. He also used a bright blue pigment called Prussian blue, which gave the wave deep, intense color.

Ukiyo-e: A genre of Japanese art depicting scenes of everyday life, landscapes, and portraits, popular from the 17th to 19th centuries.
Oshiokuri-bune: Fast boats used for transporting fish and other goods, depicted in the print.
Sublime: An aesthetic quality characterized by grandeur, power, and a sense of awe mixed with terror.
Nishiki-e: Literally 'brocade pictures,' a type of multi-colored woodblock print developed in Japan.