Lego The Great Wave: Hokusai art set details, price, how many pieces, where to get it in the UK - release date

It’s around this time of year that countless articles crop up detailing the very best films, TV shows and video games to look forward to in the coming 12 months.

But Lego fans know that the real reason to get excited for the New Year is the wealth of new sets to enjoy as the calendar ticks into 2023.

We already know of some intriguing looking building projects that will be coming our way, but one of the most recently revealed releases is sure to appease the construction needs of Lego fans and art enjoyers alike.

The Danish toy company has already released a number of buildable art pieces - most notably the mosaic series which depicts stylised images of Marylin Monroe and even Darth Vader in plastic brick form.

But now something all the more cultural is coming our way - a blocky rendition of Katsushika Hokusai’s The Great Wave. Here is everything you need to know about it.

What is The Great Wave?

Hokusai’s The Great Wave is unquestionably one of the most well-known and important Japanese works of art ever, and it still inspires artists today.

Originally a woodblock print first produced in the early 1830s, the image has been reproduced as street art and merchandise, graced the walls of museums, and even served as the inspiration for music.

It shows Japan’s famed Mount Fuji in the background, as in the foreground, a massive wave is seen washing towards a number of small boats.

Lego is reimagining the renowned masterpiece, and paying homage to its nearly two-century long history, giving fans of art and Japanese culture the chance to immerse themselves in a peaceful build, and a final product that is ideal for exhibiting at home.

The finished build will be texturally satisfying too, with the new 1,810-piece set featuring layers constructed from differing Lego bricks and elements to depict the lines and depth of Hokusai’s original artwork.

Lego is espousing the mindful benefits of building the artwork again from plastic bricks, with Annemette Baaskjær Nielsen, Designer at the LEGO Group, saying fans will be able to “unwind and find their flow.”

To aid in the therapeutic act of building, the set also comes with an accompanying curated soundtrack and a deluxe instruction booklet, which includes information on the original artwork.

When can I get it?

The 1,810-piece LEGO Art Hokusai: The Great Wave set will be available from Sunday 1 January at lego.com and Lego retailers. In the UK, it will be priced at £89.99.