Has the ship already sailed for Christmas wish lists? Perhaps. But one of the great things about being an adult is having the freedom to get a brand new Lego set without having to wait for a special occasion. We are, of course, talking about Lego’s latest art set, which is inspired by Hokusai’s ‘The Great Wave off Kanagawa’.
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Credited for authoring the world’s first manga in 1814, Hokusai is best known for his ukiyo-e woodblock prints illustrating everyday life and landscapes in Edo Japan (1603-1868). While he produced innumerable artworks during his career of over 70 years – many of which inspired the work of famous Impressionists like Monet and van Gogh – Hokusai’s depiction of a crashing wave with Mt Fuji in the far distance is inarguably his most popular piece.
Created in 1831, ‘The Great Wave’ was the first woodblock print Hokusai made for his Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji series. Though almost two centuries have passed since the original piece was printed, ‘The Great Wave’ continues to captivate audiences of every generation. On top of having its own emoji, the artwork is set to be printed on the new ¥1,000 note in 2024, so this homage from Lego is rather timely.
Geared toward adults, this sophisticated Lego creation comprises 1,810 individual pieces that you can assemble for a couple hours of meditative fun. The kit even comes with a QR code that you can scan to access a tailor-made soundtrack that you can listen to as you’re building the piece for a fully immersive experience. With details like the artist’s signature and the tiny faces of the fisherman aboard each boat, this cheeky recreation of Hokusai’s iconic woodblock print is sure to add some character to your room and impress all your house guests.
The kit (priced at ¥13,980) is already available in some regions as of January 1 2023, but will be released in stores across Japan on February 1. You can learn more about it here.
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