The Met Store Hokusai Great Wave Tote* Bags

Our canvas tote features a detail from Katsushika Hokusai’s (Japanese, 1760–1849) enduring masterpiece, Under the Wave off Kanagawa, also known as The Great Wave (ca. 1830–32). This timeless woodblock print captures a formidable, foaming breaker towering over tiny boats filled with fishermen bracing for impact. Hokusai’s clever use of perspective makes even the imposing Mount Fuji appear comparatively small. The esteemed ukiyo-e painter and printmaker was especially revered for his meditative landscapes, in which he employed a rich color palette including exotic Prussian blue.