During the Ebo period, ukiyo-e, woodblock prints became enormously popular. Sold in small shops and on the street, an ordinary print went for the price of a bowl of noodles. People of very modest income, therefore, could collect prints in albums or paste them on their walls. A highly efficient production system made this wide distribution of Japanese graphic art possible.
_{From Gardner’s Art Through the Ages}

It was thrilling to see The Great Wave, pictured above, at the Seattle Art Museum exhibit featuring the Japanese artist, Katsushika Hokusai (葛飾 北斎, c. 31 October 1760 – 10 May 1849). He is celebrated for having created approxiamtely 30,000 woodblock prints, paintings, illustrations, and sketches during his lifetime.

As this year hurtles towards its end, I thought of Hokusai’s Great Wave, and found myself amidst a sea of unfinished tasks and uncharted waters. Like the towering wave, these last few days of 2023 have loomed large, yet I am carried forth by the inexorable force of time.

As I look at the intricate details of Hokusai’s work, I see parallels in my own year-end reflections. The waves symbolize exquisite beauty, contrasts of dark and light, highs and lows, dynamism, chaos, and complexities of life, while the boats – the challenges I have faced throughout the year (a little trying to stay afloat but mostly enjoying the ride!).

I look forward to catching a new Great Wave in 2024!

Happy New Year!