Seigaiha

On ancient Chinese maps, the wave symbol was used to represent the sea. In Japan, Seigaiha (litterarly “waves of the blue sea”) appears on the clothing of a sixth century haniwa (funeral terracotta figure). Throughout the Japenese history, it was mainly widespread on clothing (especially kimonos), ceramics and lacquerware. We find variations in different places and different times (cf. the photos below of a Caduveo Woman and a detail of Hours of Louis de Laval), but Seighaiha also have a worldwide success in contemporary graphic design.