DALLAS, TX.- Few images in art history have captivated the world like Under the Wave Off Kanagawa, more commonly known as The Great Wave. Created by Katsushika Hokusai in the early 1830s, this masterpiece of Japanese woodblock printing has become a global icon, influencing artists and collectors for nearly two centuries. Heritage Auctions is honored to offer a rare, early impression of The Great Wave as a centerpiece of its March 20 auction, Masterpieces: Japanese Prints from The Nelkin Collection, coinciding with New York’s celebrated Asia Week.
Bring Hokusai's Iconic Waves Home: Discover Art Prints, Books, and More! From the legendary 'Great Wave off Kanagawa' to his stunning landscapes, Hokusai's art captures the beauty of nature. Explore a curated collection of art prints, books, and merchandise inspired by the master of ukiyo-e.
“This image is universally recognized and cherished for its dynamism, elegance and timeless power,” says Nick Dawes, Heritage's Senior Vice President of Special Collections. “I fell in love with The Great Wave during ‘A’-level Art in early 1970s England. The scholarly observations I read then and since on this extraordinary image have shaped my understanding of art history, and I feel immensely privileged to handle an original print. Thank you, Ruth Nelkin, for this gift!”
The March 20 auction marks the final installment of the highly successful Nelkin Collection series, following two record-setting Asian Art sales in June and September 2024, which together set more than 60 world-record prices. This concluding sale presents an expertly curated selection of works by Japan’s most renowned printmakers, including Suzuki Harunobu, Utagawa Hiroshige I, Utagawa Hiroshige II, Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, Totoya Hokkei, Keisai Eisen, Kawase Hasui and Yoshida Hiroshi.
Highlights include Hokusai’s Li Bo (Ri Haku), from the series A True Mirror of Japanese and Chinese Poems (Shiika shashin kyō), circa 1833 and from the collection of Henri Vever, which is a dynamic depiction of the famed Chinese poet, as well as a striking illusion print by Utagawa Yoshifuji (a student of Utagawa Kuniyoshi known for his playful compositions) depicting a formidable feline face ingeniously formed by multiple smaller cats. They are joined in this event by Kawase Hasui’s rare pre-earthquake landscapes, including Mountain Temple at Sendai (1919) and Mishima River, Mutsu Province (1919), both of which predate the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923. Also on offer is Tsukioka Yoshitoshi’s Fujiwara no Yasumasa Playing the Flute by Moonlight (1883), one of the artist’s most evocative and celebrated works, rooted in setsuwa (narrative folklore) from the Konjaku Monogatarishū and Uji Shūi Monogatari, collections of stories compiled between the 12th and 13th centuries. The work portrays a tense moment in which the bandit Hakamadare attempts to ambush Fujiwara no Yasumasa, who remains unfazed as he plays his flute. The sheer presence of Yasumasa exerts an almost supernatural force and renders the would-be attacker paralyzed.
“We are thrilled to present the final selections from Ruth Nelkin’s extraordinary collection,” says Sachiko Hori, an authority on Japanese artworks who has worked extensively with the Nelkin Collection. “Ruth’s deep appreciation for both Edo-period classics and early 20th-century shin-hanga prints shines through in this sale. From dramatic warrior scenes to exquisite portrayals of nature, her collection was both vast and intentional. Other highlights include Hokusai’s Drum Bridge at Kameido Tenjin Shrine, rare Toyokuni I’s kabuki actor’s full-length portrait, Chōensai Eishin’s gorgeous falconer and Kawase Hasui’s famous Zōjō-ji temple in the snow.”
Heritage’s celebrationof Asia Week continues on March 21 with its Asian Art Signature® Auction featuring an exquisite array of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indian, Himalayan and Southeast Asian treasures. From Song dynasty ceramics to Ming dynasty jades and Qing dynasty porcelains, paintings and textiles, this auction brings together significant works from prestigious private collections, including that of the family of Yen Sheng-Po, a founding member of Hong Kong’s Kau Chi Society of Chinese Art and a close associate of Zhang Daqian. The auction offers porcelains, paintings, jades, and other scholar’s objects from the collection, including this dramatic dragon-starring, beast-handled vase and this Ming dynasty jade duck enriched with skillfully carved and incised featherwork.
Other highlights of the March 21 auction are a rare Song dynasty Qingbai-glazed turtle-form covered box — an elegantly crafted scholar’s ink well from the esteemed Wang Zhao Lou Collection in Taiwan, as well as a Jin dynasty Yueyao celadon bowl, molded with an intricate bird design and once used as an oil lamp holder. From the collection of Sze Yuan Tang, similar examples can be found in the collection of the Tokyo National Museum, Tokyo, the Zhejiang Provincial Museum, Hangzhou, and the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco.
A Longquan celadon crackle-glazed Cong vase, inspired by archaic ceremonial jade vessels from the Shang and Zhou dynasties, with an attractive bluish hue, joins them in this event, as well as a Guangxu-marked Chinese Famille Rose Bajixiang dish, and a majestic 17th-century Chinese bronze tripod censer and cover — a masterpiece of ritual craftsmanship that stands as a testament to China’s enduring bronze-making tradition.
“The Asian Art Department at Heritage excels in uncovering the true value of great artworks,” says Heritage’s Fine & Decorative Art specialist Charlene Wang. “With our deep expertise, strategic marketing, and global platform, we connect these extraordinary pieces with the right collectors.”
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