The Great Wave Vs Nobuto Essay

The Great Wave Off Kanagawa and The Inlet of Nobuto are visually very different, contrasting drastically in the conveyed emotional expressiveness. Both paintings clearly portray a great interconnection between men and nature, as to point out an important theme fundamental to Japanese art. However, in The Great Wave the nature seems to rebel against men, while in The Inlet of Nobuto it embraces them inserenity and harmony. Perhaps, this change in dynamics reveals various life circumstances the people of Japan have faced over the years. For this reason, it may appear that Hokusai has handled the subjects in the two images in a different fashion. Nonetheless, the opposite may be true due to the submissive aspect of the people that appear to be deeply connected with nature in both works of art. This is an obvious depiction in The Inlet of Nobuto, while in The Great Wave it is represented through the subjects’ acceptance of the …show more content…
The implied diagonal lines that are suggested by the turbulent dynamic of the water, as well as the outline of the boats create visual connections that further intensify the directional forces that lead to the focal point of the composition – the giant wave. Nonetheless, although it is positioned in the left foreground, “the great wave” counteracts the asymmetrical aspect of the composition by being balanced by the Mt. Fuji, which appears much smaller in size. It is interesting to note the distortion of scale Katsushika Hokusai used in depicting The Great Wave in relation to the colossal Mt. Fuji. This creates a sense of implied depth through the overlapping of shapes, which suggest “an illusion of a third dimension.” This effect is emphasized by the diminished size of the mountain and the