According to the Wall Street Journal, a Katsushika Hokusai woodblock print was sold for $2.8 million at Christie’s in New York on Tuesday, setting a new record high for the artwork. Despite being initially estimated to fetch between $500,000 and $700,000, the sale attracted six bidders who engaged in a thirteen-minute battle, ultimately won by an anonymous telephone bidder. Notably, when the print was last auctioned in 2021, it exceeded its low estimate of $150,000 by a staggering tenfold, selling for $1.6 million.
Under the Wave off Kanagawa”, also referred to as “Kanagawa-oki nami-ura”, is regarded as the most recognizable artwork of the renowned Japanese artist. This iconic piece is a woodblock print that was produced during 1830-1832, depicting voyagers heading towards Tokyo who is confronted by an enormous tidal wave while the grand Mount Fuji stands tall in the backdrop.”
Among Katsushika Hokusai’s most renowned works are his wave prints, which he began creating in the early 1800s. In the mid-19th century, these prints were introduced to the European market. When Hokusai initially produced his famous Great Wave print, he was in his seventies and struggling financially. Today, the Great Wave remains highly sought after by Japanese collectors. The exact number of copies made and remaining in the world is unknown, but early prints with sharper lines and a subtle cloud against a pink sky, produced before the woodblock became worn, are considered the most desirable. These are two key features present in the print that just sold at Christie’s.
Photos: Christie’s