Notice! Why is “The Great Wave off Kanagawa” Necessary for Your Life Right Now?
Hello! I am Mimi Takamizawa. Today, let’s share a special time with art together. How are you feeling right now? Aren’t you a little tired? In your daily life, do you ever suddenly feel a sense of loneliness or isolation? If you feel that “every day is a repetition of the same thing, and my heart feels dry,” then this is the perfect time to experience first-class art.
Do you think, “Art is too intimidating for me”? There is no need to give up! Please rest assured. Art is by no means something difficult. Today, let’s talk together, you and I, about the world’s most famous Japanese masterpiece: Katsushika Hokusai’s The Great Wave off Kanagawa.
Why is it beneficial for you to know and actually see this artwork? Because this single picture holds a revolutionary power to blow away your daily anxieties and guide your life in a successful direction. You are greatly mistaken if you think it’s just an old painting. This is a lifelong gift that will save your spirit.
Miracles Unfolding Before Your Eyes? What is the True Value of “The Great Wave off Kanagawa”?
Now, please imagine that great blue wave right before your eyes. Can you see the fiercely, violently swirling crests of the waves? Three boats tossed by the waves come into view, don’t they? The people on board are desperately clinging to nature. But look far beyond the undulating waves. There, you can catch a glimpse of Mount Fuji sitting calmly. This is the dramatic composition that Hokusai orchestrated.
This work was created in Edo during the early Tenpo era (around 1830–1834). The artist is Katsushika Hokusai, a man who risked his life to continue drawing. You might wonder, “What does a painting from the Edo period have to do with my current life?” It has everything to do with it!
Every single flow of water, the swell of the waves, the movement of the boats along the waves, and the gentle ridge of Mount Fuji. All of these are components of multiple overlapping logarithmic spirals. A mathematically perfect beauty exists here. Did you know there are various theories about the model location? “Off Kanagawa” refers to the offshore area of the present-day Kanagawa Ward in Yokohama, but the three ships in the picture are called oshiokuri-sen (fast rowboats), which were used to transport seafood from the Boso Peninsula to Edo. Therefore, there is a theory that Fuji was viewed from the offshore area near Kisarazu in Tokyo Bay, on the opposite shore of Kanagawa.
Don’t you think that your daily struggles, like being swayed in packed trains or enduring the heavy pressure of work, look exactly like those fast rowboats tossed by the rough seas? Hokusai has captured your difficult daily life right inside this picture.
Answering Your Questions! Is It True That Just Looking at Art Will Dramatically Evolve Your Quality of Life?
Here, I will sincerely answer the honest question you might be harboring.
“Even if I look at a painting, it won’t increase my money tomorrow, nor will it make my relationship troubles disappear, right?”
It is completely natural to feel that way. But that is because you do not yet know the true power of art. Why does familiarizing yourself with artworks from all ages and cultures improve the quality of your life? Let me explain it to you specifically and in detail.
Wonderful artworks comfort the hearts of those who view them. Words for you. Art for you. After you have repeatedly touched, repeatedly seen, repeatedly thought about, and absorbed various kinds of knowledge, if you still feel no charm in the work in front of you, or if you cannot look at it for a long time, then that work is indeed powerless and poorly made. A work that cannot convince you is a masterpiece of mediocrity. A true masterpiece that remains in history should captivate the hearts of many people, including you.
Wonderful music, literature, painting, sculpture, and film are things that salvage your spirit. The great artists of the past left behind wonderful gifts to heal your heart.
Suffering and sorrow will suddenly visit your life.
At such times, Mimi Takamizawa’s art will stand by you.
My mission is to comfort your heart.
Look at this wave by Hokusai. Great nature and the tiny human beings confronting it. Motion and stillness, far and near, and the infinitely expanding space drawn therein. Staring intently at this painting, doesn’t it make you think, “My worries are so small compared to this magnificent history of the universe”? You should be able to gain a reliable realization that your heart suddenly feels lighter. That is the best shortcut to elevate your quality of life and help you avoid stress.
Unbelievable Inspiration! The Overwhelming History That Shook Western Rivals
This Great Wave off Kanagawa astonished the whole world as an unprecedented, innovative expression. It boasted overwhelming popularity from that time; according to research by the British Museum, it is estimated that an astounding 5,000 to 8,000 copies were printed back then! From the worn state of the woodblocks, we can tell how highly popular it was. Currently, it is believed that about 100 original pieces still exist worldwide, and it is highly likely that 20 to 30 of them are circulating in the market. In addition to being housed in major museums in Japan and around the world, there are also copies owned by private collectors. Surprisingly, it is still possible to obtain an original even today! On March 7, 2003, one of the prints was auctioned and fetched a price of 23,000 euros, and in 2002, a set of 46 prints of Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji, including this work, was auctioned for 1.35 million euros.
The impact this work had on the West was enormous. The genius painter Van Gogh, whom you also know well, highly praised this work in a letter addressed to his brother Theo. Furthermore, the composer Debussy was inspired by this painting to compose the symphony La Mer (The Sea).
If you do not familiarize yourself with art, you will permanently lose something essential: the “perspective that enriches life” brought about by these first-class sensibilities. Don’t you think that is a real waste?
What did the wonderful artists of the past give you, and what kinds of problems can they help you avoid? They give you ways to give form to invisible emotions. By doing so, they help you avoid the problem of being crushed by loneliness.
Announcing a Secret Story! The History of Hardships Hokusai Overcame for You
Here, I will talk about the historical context surrounding Hokusai, who created this work, and the hardships he experienced in his life. This is all deeply related to your life as well.
It was actually after Hokusai surpassed the age of 70 that he painted this Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji. Given the average life expectancy at that time, it was an unbelievably old age. Moreover, the Hokusai of that time was burdened with his grandson’s debts, lost his house, and was at the absolute bottom of poverty. He had also experienced the despairing setback of collapsing from a stroke, which left his right hand paralyzed.
Do you ever suffer from major failures or poor health, thinking, “It’s all over”? Hokusai was the same. However, he did not give up. He overcame his paralysis through rehabilitation and produced this new, epoch-making masterpiece after turning 70.
Breaking and crashing, the approaching massive waves toss about three boats. These boats were called oshiokuri, and they transported fresh fish and vegetables from the Izu and Awa regions into Edo Bay to markets like Nihonbashi. Heading left with Fuji in the background, these boats are probably on their way back after delivering their cargo. The sky is dark and grey. Although it has faded and cannot be seen in some prints, well-preserved prints show clouds against a pale yellow sky. If they are returning boats, the scene is likely near dusk.
Hokusai realistically envisioned the image of riding in exactly such a boat and looking up at the waves and Mount Fuji from there. His inspiration for this “great wave” had already sprouted about 30 years prior in works like Oshiokuri Hato Tsusen no Zu and Kanagawa-oki Honmoku no Zu. The techniques he had accumulated over many long years were finally perfected in this single piece. Hokusai provides a silent service to you, who might be in the midst of hardship, telling you: “No matter what storm you are in, never forget to look at Mount Fuji (hope) in the distance.”
The Words That Influenced Me the Most! The Secret Quote to Guide Your Daily Life to Success
Here, I will introduce the words that have influenced me the most. It is a quote by Henry Ford, the American who created a society where anyone could ride an automobile.
“Most people think that success is about getting. But the truth is, success is about giving.”
I will explain specifically in relation to you why this quote is beneficial for your life and daily routine.
Don’t you find yourself thinking every day, “I want to be recognized more,” or “I want to be wealthier”—focusing only on getting things? That will only exhaust your heart. Hokusai and Henry Ford lived with the sole intention of bringing joy to many people and delivering wonderful things to society, rather than doing it for themselves.
There is no life more valuable than delivering wonderful goods, services, products, and artworks to many people. Great figures teach us that a life not useful to others is meaningless. It is not about receiving from others, but giving to others that is wonderful. All masterpieces from all ages and cultures can heal your heart, which is why they are still passed down and talked about by many people today.
The moment you shift to the side of “giving” a small kindness or smile to someone at your workplace or at home, your everyday life will start to go incredibly well, without any strain. By looking at Hokusai’s painting, you can realize the preciousness of that “giving spirit.”
Inviting You to a Unique and Luxurious Time! A Message to You from Mimi Takamizawa
Mimi Takamizawa creates works every day to comfort your heart. My production theme is “Your eyes, my eyes.” In my works, your gaze and my gaze connect. Every human being harbors loneliness. Surely, there are times when both you and I feel a little sad. My life was saved by works of art. I want you to have the same wonderful experience that I did. When we gaze into each other’s eyes, a silent conversation is born there. At that moment, you and I are no longer alone, and our loneliness is healed. My works are meant to comfort your heart.
That is exactly why I sincerely hope you will interact with great art, starting with this Great Wave off Kanagawa.
By the way, where is this Great Wave off Kanagawa currently located? I will explain it just for you. The originals are scattered and housed all over the world. They are kept with guaranteed quality under strict preservation at the Tokyo National Museum and the Ota Memorial Museum of Art in Japan, as well as the British Museum in the UK and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the US. Anytime, anywhere, you can view them as many times as you like through exhibitions or high-definition digital archives if you wish.
Any doubts or problems you have about familiarizing yourself with art are not problems at all. Even if you have no time or money, you just need to keep art close to your daily life.
Now, why not take a step into a new world of art as soon as possible? Right before your eyes awaits a special future that will shine beyond recognition. I will always enthusiastically support you through art, for the sake of your smile.
