Toshiba Lectures in Japanese Art

: Detail of Under the Wave Off Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai, about 1830. The British Museum (2008,3008.1). Purchased with the assistance of The Art Fund.

Sainsbury Institute presents the Toshiba Lectures in Japanese Art
Hokusai's Great Wave:
The Making of a Global Icon
Christine M.E. Guth
Royal College of Art and Victoria & Albert Museum

6 Nov | 6.15pm
Hokusai's Great Waves
B.P. Lecture Theatre, The British Museum, Great Russell St., London

13 Nov | 6.15pm
The Great Wave and the Global Museum
Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre, SOAS, University of London, Russell Square, London

20 Nov | 6pm
Celebrity Collectors
and Hokusai's Great Wave
Blackfriars Hall, St Andrew's Plain, Norwich

First published in about 1831 as part of a set of 'Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji', Hokusai's Under the Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa oki namiura), is arguably the single most famous work of Japanese art outside Japan, the 'the' in its popular title The Great Wave, registering its iconic status. How did this colour woodcut come to be recognized as a modern masterpiece? Unlike the Mona Lisa, with which its celebrity may be compared, The Great Wave is not a unique work, but a 'multiple original' of which thousands of impressions were issued during Hokusai's lifetime. This series of lectures argues that multiplicity is key to The Great Wave's renown. It focuses on the artist's multiple interpretations of this motif, the role of the museum in popularizing this image and the circulation of impressions of this print in nineteenth-century France.

All Welcome. Admission Free.
For information: T: 01603 624349 F: 01603 625011
sisjac@sainsbury-institute.org

Sponsored by Toshiba International Foundation in association with Sainsbury Institute, The Japan Society, The British Museum, SOAS, The Art Fund and Japan-UK 150.

Third Thursday Lectures

Every Third Thursday of the month, the Sainsbury Institute hosts a lecture on a topic related to the art and culture of Japan. Talks begin at 6pm (50-minute lecture followed by refreshments). Speakers are all specialists in their field and the talks are intended to be accessible to those with no prior knowledge of Japanese history. Admission is free and all are welcome. Booking essential. To book a seat email us or fax 01603 625011 up to two days before the lecture stating your name, number of seats required and a contact number. Unless indicated otherwise the lectures are held at the Sainsbury Institute, 64 The Close, Norwich NR1 4DH + map

16 October
Britain and the 'Re-opening' of Japan:
The Treaty of Yedo, 1858,
and the Elgin Mission
Sir Hugh Cortazzi
Former British Ambassador to Japan
Special venue: Refectory, Norwich Cathedral

20 November | Third Thursday Lecture
Celebrity Collectors
and Hokusai's Great Wave
Christine M.E. Guth
Royal College of Art and Victoria & Albert Museum
Special venue: Blackfriars Hall, St Andrew's Plain, Norwich

Japan-UK 150

Japan-UK 150, a series of events in the UK organised to celebrate 150 years of friendship between two two countries, will run from autumn 2008 until the end of 2009. It will feature a wide range of activities designed to encourage exchange in such fields as culture, the arts, sport, education and science. This is an opportunity to gain fascinating insights into both the traditional and contemporary aspects of Japan.

+ Japan-UK 150 official site | + Japan-UK 150 upcoming events

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