A Master of “Pictures of the Floating World”
Katsushika Hokusai’s genius is evident in his sophisticated technique, his mastery of composition and understanding of the natural world. His work The Great Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa oki nami ura) was the culmination of his 30-year-long preoccupation with the theme of the wave. The drama of the scene with its thrilling composition and elegant stylisation is unsurpassed. In this work of art, Hokusai blends tradition and innovation, combining the age-old Japanese woodblock printing technique with Prussian blue, a pigment imported from Germany and scarcely available in Japan at the time. With its remarkable intensity of colour, this new fade-resistant blue significantly enhances the dramatic effect of the waves.
Homage to a unique Japanese Masterpiece
We have carefully scaled up the artwork The Great Wave to the size of the piano lid, and transferred the motif to the underside of the lid using a special printing process. Continuing the colour theme, variants of Prussian blue decorate the inner rim of the piano and the upholstery of the piano bench.
The red of the cast iron frame and Hokusai’s signature on the music stand reflect the particular significance of the colour red in Japanese culture. Red symbolises the sun and is also seen as the colour of protection. It is often used for traditional Japanese gates, known as torii, to ensure the flow of positive energy. The torii, which consist of two posts and a double crossbar, stand in front of shrines and temples to represent the transition from the everyday to the spiritual world.
The interaction of the colors blue and red creates a dynamic tension, representative of the interplay between intensity and harmony, activity and calm.
The Bösendorfer Collector's Item Grand Piano: The Great Wave off Kanagawa
The Collector’s Item grand piano in size 214VC is limited to 16 instruments worldwide. This number references the Kiku no gomon seal of the Japanese Imperial Court, a stylized chrysanthemum with 16 petals. Each individual instrument features an individually numbered plaque.
The Bösendorfer grand piano The Great Wave off Kanagawa is our homage to a unique Japanese masterpiece. The image is as timeless – and intuitively relatable to – as music itself. It vividly illustrates the complex relationship between nature and humankind, and the immense importance of cross-cultural exchange. It is in the understanding of one another’s uniqueness, that we achieve both mutual inspiration and personal development, ultimately benefitting us all.
