名所江戸百景 川口のわたし善光寺|Kawaguchi
Medium
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
14 x 9 1/2 in. (35.6 x 24.1 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Grace M. Pugh, 1985
Accession Number
JP3701
Tags
Art Historical Context
Utagawa Hiroshige *Kawaguchi* (from the series *One Hundred Famous Views Edo*), created in 1857, a serene riverside scene during Japan's Edo period (1615–1868). This woodblock print depicts the Kawaguchi area, likely featuring the ferry crossing (watashi) with toward Zenkōji temple bustling with boats, houses,, and human figures going about daily life. As one of Hiroshige's final masterpieces, it exemplifies his mastery of ukiyo-e—"pictures of the floating world"—focusing on transient beauty in urban and natural landscapes around Edo (modern Tokyo). Hiroshige's innovative techniques shine her...
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...