What kind of set is Hokusai – The Great Wave?

It's a LEGO® Art set where 1,810 pieces are placed to form a flat mosaic of the famous woodblock print The Great Wave off Kanagawa.

How many colours appear in the design?

The image uses white, tan, light nougat and dark blue, just 106 unique elements in total.

Can this set be played with?

No, it contains no minifigures or moving parts and is designed purely as wall art.

LEGO Art

Hokusai - The Great Wave

Hokusai – The Great Wave belongs to the LEGO® Art line and recreates the famous Japanese woodblock print as a flat mosaic. With 1,810 pieces and just 106 unique elements, the finished image relies almost entirely on the precise arrangement of a small set of colours. Rather than a build, this set is pure placement work aimed at a piece of wall art.

Set number: 31208
Year: 2023
Pieces: 1,810
Minifigures: 0
Theme: LEGO Art
Different parts: 106

What can I build with it?

View the official building instructions at LEGO® ↗

Parts list 106

As BrickLink list (XML)

Import on BrickLink: Wanted → Upload, upload the file (or paste its content), pick a Wanted List and add the parts.

Spare parts (17)

These extra parts come with the set in case one gets lost.

Alternative models

Fan models by Rebrickable users that you can build (mostly) from this set’s parts. Instructions are available from the designers.

All 2 ideas at Rebrickable ↗

What can I build with it?

Description

A famous artwork as a build template

Katsushika Hokusai's woodblock print The Great Wave off Kanagawa is one of the most recognisable works in Japanese art history, and this LEGO® Art set translates its distinctive wave pattern into a grid of small round plates. At 1,810 pieces, it's a substantial placement project, one that spreads comfortably across several quiet evenings. The end result isn't a model but a picture, ready to hang in the included frame.

Few colours, striking effect

With only 106 unique elements across 1,810 pieces, this set's part variety is low compared with other LEGO® Art sets, since the effect comes almost entirely from how white, tan, light nougat and a deep dark blue are arranged. That limited but carefully deployed palette is enough to make the wave's dynamic shape and the distant Mount Fuji recognisable, all without the punchy contrast seen in more comic-style LEGO® Art sets. That restrained approach sets this particular design apart from the brighter, more graphic sets in the line.

Meditative placement, not a build

Unlike a typical build, this mosaic mostly demands patience and accuracy in sorting and placing round plates according to the pattern. Many builders find the process relaxing, similar to working through a large puzzle, except the result stays permanently assembled rather than getting taken apart afterwards. With no minifigures or moving parts, the entire focus sits on the finished picture on the wall. Working through it in stages lets the pattern grow row by row until the full wave finally takes shape.

Parts list and frame

The full parts list on this page shows exactly how many round plates of each of the four colours are included, along with the frame components that come with the set. That's useful for checking a second-hand set's completeness or sourcing more of a specific colour. Despite its limited palette, 1,810 pieces is enough to deliver an impressively large finished wall piece. The included frame means the finished design can go straight on the wall without any extra hardware.

FAQ

What kind of set is Hokusai – The Great Wave?: It's a LEGO® Art set where 1,810 pieces are placed to form a flat mosaic of the famous woodblock print The Great Wave off Kanagawa.
How many colours appear in the design?: The image uses white, tan, light nougat and dark blue, just 106 unique elements in total.
Can this set be played with?: No, it contains no minifigures or moving parts and is designed purely as wall art.

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