Harbor of Chinese Ships, Nagasaki, Hizen Province (Hizen Nagasaki karafune no zu) from the series “One Hundred Famous Views in the Various Provinces (Shokoku meisho hyakkei)”
Medium
Color woodblock print
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
196845
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
In the bustling Harbor of Chinese Ships, Nagasaki, Hizen Province (1859), Utagawa Hiroshige II captures a vibrant scene from his series *One Hundred Famous in the Various Provinces* (*Shokoku meisho hyakkei*). As the adopted son and stylistic successor to the renowned landscape master Utagawa Hiroige I, Hiroshige II mastered ukiyo-e woodblock printing, blending precise lines with lush colors to evoke the "floating world" of everyday life and nature. This color woodblock print, now housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of Asia department, showcases towering Chinese trading vessels (*karafune*) amid a lively harbor, with figures bustling on shore and distant mountains framing the composition. Created in 1859 during Japan's late Edo period, the artwork reflects Nagasaki's pivotal role as one of the few open ports for foreign trade, especially with China, amid growing Western influences following Commodore Perry's arrival. It highlights the cultural exchange and economic vitality of Hizen Province, offering a glimpse into Japan's cautious globalization before the Meiji Restoration. Hiroshige II's technique—layered woodblocks for vivid blues, reds, and golds—brings dynamic energy to the water's ripples and sails' curves, emphasizing atmospheric perspective. A testament to ukiyo-e's enduring appeal, this print invites viewers to ponder the harmony of tradition and transformation in 19th-century Japan.
About the Artist
Utagawa Hiroshige II (Shigenobu) · 1826–1869
Utagawa Hiroshige II, born Suzuki Chinpei in 1826, was one of the most accomplished ukiyo-e artists of mid-nineteenth century Japan. He entered the studio of the celebrated landscape master Utagawa Hiroshige I — known for his iconic series "The Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido" — and proved himself the most talented of the elder artist's few students. So highly regarded was the young pupil that...