The Great Wave off Kanagawa is a masterpiece of the ukiyo-e genre and perhaps the most iconic Edo period (1830-1831) work of Japanese art. Created by Katsushika Hokusai as part of his series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, the woodblock print depicts a towering, claw-like wave threatening three fishing boats, while a snow-capped Mount Fuji remains calm and diminutive in the background. The composition is celebrated for its dynamic use of Prussian Blue—a pigment newly imported to Japan at the time—and its dramatic "hook" shapes that create a sense of overwhelming natural power.