Among more than 30,000 drawings and prints, the most globally renowned is "The Great Wave off Kanagawa" from the series "Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji," created between 1823 and 1831.

Hokusai, the man obsessed with painting, as he called himself, was almost forgotten soon after his death. It was French graphic artist Bracquemond who, while walking through Paris in 1856 and discovering Hokusai's manga pages (yes, Hokusai was the first artist to draw manga!), used them as wrapping material in the Delâtre shop, and thus introduced the artist to the world.

Hokusai's true fame came in France, and his art had a profound influence on the artists who laid the foundations of Impressionism.

In the modern world, Hokusai is the most famous Japanese artist, and his renowned "Great Wave" is one of the most interpreted works. Many have drawn inspiration from the Great Wave, from Galliano for Dior to mass-market brands!