three things hokusai great wave 2367449

Katsushika Hokusai's iconic woodblock print "The Great Wave" (officially *Under the Wave off Kanagawa*) is examined through three lesser-known facts. The article notes that the print, created between 1830 and 1832, is surprisingly small—less than 15 inches wide—and that its vivid blue pigment, Prussian blue, was a recent European import that revolutionized Japanese ukiyo-e prints. It also highlights Hokusai's practice of adopting over 30 different names throughout his career, which now helps scholars periodize his work.

sothebys hong kong sells 125 works from japans okada museum for 88 m so founder can settle 50 m legal bill 1234763159

Sotheby's Hong Kong sold 125 works from Japan's Okada Museum of Art in a white-glove auction on Saturday, netting $88 million (plus fees). The sale set auction records for Japanese artists Kitagawa Utamaro and Hokusai, with Utamaro's *Fukagawa in Snow* fetching $7.1 million and Hokusai's *The Great Wave Off the Coast of Kanagawa* selling for $2.8 million. The collection was sold by museum founder Kazuo Okada, an 83-year-old billionaire, to settle a $50 million legal bill stemming from a long-running feud with casino magnate Steve Wynn. Okada's law firm, Bartlit Beck, successfully pursued the fee in binding arbitration after Okada contested the amount.

okada museum sells art founder legal bill sothebys 1234758869

Japan’s Okada Museum of Art is selling 125 works from its collection at Sotheby’s Hong Kong on November 22 to help its founder, Kazuo Okada, pay a $50 million legal bill. The bill stems from a long-running feud with casino magnate Steve Wynn, which began when the two co-founded Wynn Resorts in 2002 and later accused each other of improper payments. The collection includes Katsushika Hokusai’s iconic *The Great Wave Off the Coast of Kanagawa* (1830–32), a rare Qianlong “Eight Treasures” vase, and 16th-century screens by Kano Motonobu. Okada, an 83-year-old billionaire, lost a binding arbitration over the legal fees and must now sell the art.

Art Gallery / Museum Information – Recommended Exhibitions in April 2026

Major Japanese institutions have announced their flagship exhibition schedules for April 2026, featuring a mix of international retrospectives and deep dives into domestic art history. Highlights include the National Museum of Western Art’s presentation of Lithuanian visionary M. K. Čiurlionis alongside Hokusai, and a significant ten-year memorial retrospective for Nakanishi Natsuyuki at the National Museum of Art, Osaka. Other notable shows include a sensory-focused photography exhibition at TOP Museum and a folklore-centric study of Lafcadio Hearn in Osaka.

"36 Clicks of Mount Fuji": Photographer Julien Rocheblave Reinvents Hokusai's Legendary Prints

« 36 Clics du mont Fuji » : le photographe Julien Rocheblave réinvente les mythiques estampes d’Hokusai

French photographer Julien Rocheblave has completed a contemporary photographic reimagining of Katsushika Hokusai’s iconic print series, "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji." By locating the exact geographical vantage points used by the ukiyo-e master in the 1830s, Rocheblave captures the sacred mountain through a modern lens, juxtaposing Hokusai's original compositions with the realities of 21st-century Japan. The project, titled "36 Clics du mont Fuji," has been compiled into a book and will be showcased at the Rencontres d’Arles via Fisheye Gallery.