One of the most famous images in art history is very much in demand. Two sales in New York this September will hope to shift copies of The Great Wave with estimates heading towards $1 million for the sales.
The Great Wave was printed by Katsushika Hokusai in 1831, its full title is The Great Wave off Kanagawa (or Under the Wave off Kanagawa).
The work was a fusion of traditional Japanese print-making and ideas newly arrived in Japan from Europe, including the Prussian blue colour that is so important in the print.
The print proved extremely popular.
Perhaps 1,000 copies were initially made, and maybe as many as 8,000 in total over a number of years.
Around 100 copies are known to survive today.
Many are in museums: the British Museum has one, the Giverny Museum of Impressionism holds a copy to record the influence The Great Wave had on the French artists of the 19th century.
A 2024 Japanese bank note using the image, which has been reproduced countless times in every medium.
The image has been reproduced, copied, remixed and parodied many times over. It has been described as the most famous Japanese art work ever and the most reproduced art work of all time.
And copies of the original print runs change hands rarely, and for very high sums.
Two copies will be sold by Bonhams and Christie’s in New York this September.
Hopes are high according to Takaaki Murakami, Christie’s Japanese art specialist, who told ARTnews: “The market for the Hokusai ‘Great Wave’ print is very, very good right now. We have lots of people who want to buy ‘Great Wave’ in the market.”
Twenty-four copies of the print have been sold since 2019.
In March 2023 a copy realised $2.8 million in New York. It went into the sale with an estimate of $500,000 to $700,000.
Christie’s are selling their copy, from a private collector in Japan, with an estimate of $500,000 to $700,000.
Bonhams’ copy, which is being sold as a well-preserved early impression, carries a $700,000 to $900,000 prediction.
Both will hope to top those high estimates.
The Bonham’s sale takes place on September 18, Christie’s sale is the day before.
