Hokusai was one of Japan's most important artists, but above all, he had a huge impact on Western art. He was one of the main influences on Post-Impressionist painters like Van Gogh, and his linear style also shaped the evolution of European comics during the first half of the 20th century. What is curious is that works like The Great Wave off Kanagawa—his most globally recognized painting—originally started out being sold as souvenirs for the price of a bowl of noodles.