Hokusai Wave Silk Tie

DESIGNER'S NOTES

A Fox & Chave printed silk tie featuring an element from the woodblock print The Great Wave off Kanagawa (1831) by the Ukiyo-e painter and printmaker Katsushita Hokusai (1760-1849).

One of the most recognisable images of Japan perhaps ever made, and certainly from the Edo period, The Great Wave off Kanagawa is part of a series of prints named 36 Views of Mount Fuji by Hokusai.

In this image the mountain is small in the background, nearly engulfed by the towering, dramatic wave. The composition emphasises the power of nature over human figures, contrasting with other prints in the series that present Fuji more serenely. The dynamic movement of the work, striking use of Prussian blue, adherence to the golden section, and international fame set it apart as the most recognisable image from the series.

Hokusai referred to himself as Gakyo Rojin in his later years, meaning Old Man Mad About Art. A humble man, even in his 70s and 80s, he was passionate about improving his craft, declaring on his deathbed that if he only had ten more years, he could become a truly great artist!

COLOURS

STYLING

A Fox & Chave silk tie looks best tied in a classic Windsor or half-Windsor knot and worn with a collar style of your choosing. Cutaway or spread collars offer the greatest opportunity to display the detail of your unique silk tie design.