Bingo Province: Kannon Temple at Abuto (Bingo, Abuto, Kannondo), from the series "Famous Places in the Sixty-odd Provinces (Rokujuyoshu meisho zue)"

Art Historical Context

In Utagawa Hiroshige's *Bingo Province: K Temple at Abuto*1853), part of his renowned series *Famous Places the Sixty-odd Provinces*Rokujuyoshu meisho zue*), visitors glimpse a serene Buddhist temple nestled in Japan's Bingo Province (modern-day Hiroshima Prefecture). Hiroshige a master of the ukiyo-e wood print tradition, captures the spiritual essence of Kannon-dō, dedicated to Kannon, the bodhisattva of compassion—a figure central to Japanese folk religion and everyday devotion during the Edo period. Printed as an *oban*-sized color woodblock (roughly 10 x 14 inches), this work exemplifies Hiroshige's poetic landscape style, blending precise carving techniques with vibrant, layered colors achieved through multiple woodblocks. Produced in the final years of the Edo era (1853–1856), the series of over 70 prints celebrated Japan's provincial beauty amid growing foreign influences, making art accessible to the masses via affordable *ukiyo-e*. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of Asia collection, it highlights Hiroshige's enduring legacy in bridging everyday scenery with profound cultural reverence.

About the Artist

Utagawa Hiroshige · 1826–1869

Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858), born Andō Tokutarō, was the last great master of Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock printmaking and one of the most influential landscape artists in history. Born in Edo (modern Tokyo) into a low-ranking samurai family serving as fire wardens, Hiroshige transformed landscape printmaking into a poetic meditation on nature, weather, and everyday life. His revolutionary approac...