The Great Wave off Kanagawa, created by Hokusai in 1831, is one of the world's most famous paintings.

But why are there more than 100 different versions of it in galleries all around the world?

Because it isn't actually a painting...

The Great Wave off Kanagawa comes from a series called Thirty Six View of Mount Fuji, created in 1831 by the master Katsushika Hokusai.

It is but one of thousands of beautiful different designs produced by the prolific Hokusai.

Here are four more from that 1831 series.

The Great Wave is a woodblock print in the Japanese ukiyo-e style.

The artist would create an ink drawing on paper, to be pasted onto a wooden block as a guide for the engraver. This engraving was then used to print multiple, coloured copies of the original design.