Hokusai’s The Great Wave is arguably the best-known image of Japanese art in the Western world today, and yet prints of it were sold in the 19th century for only the price of a large bowl of noodles. This program tells the story of an iconic image, its visionary maker, and the times in which he lived. It also decodes the multiple meanings of The Great Wave, explains the mechanics of woodblock printing, considers the influence of Shiba Kokan’s art on Hokusai, and illustrates The Great Wave’s impact on Impressionism and 1960s pop art. 36 Views of Mt. Fuji, of which The Great Wave is a part, is also discussed. A BBCW Production. (50 minutes)