Descending Geese
c. 1830
Medium
Woodblock print; nagaban, surimono
Dimensions
19.4 × 49.3 cm (7 5/8 × 19 3/8 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
87083
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This image was printed only in shades of black and gray, except for the seal below the signature. In addition, it was sprinkled with cut squares of metal leaf, including silver and gold. The upper portion of the print (now missing) would have contained poetry.
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...