Lake Suwa from Shiojiri Pass
ca. 1835
Medium
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
H. 10 in. (25.4 cm); W. 14 3/4 in. (37.5 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1922
Accession Number
JP1419
Tags
Art Historical Context
Created around 1835 during Japan’s Edo period, “Lake Suwa from Shiojiri Pass” captures a sweeping view of one of the celebrated routes along the Nakasendō highway. Artist Keisai Eisen, a leading figure in the ukiyo-e school, specialized in landscapes that appealed to a growing audience of travelers and armchair tourists. Woodblock prints like this one were printed in editions using carved cherry-wood blocks and vibrant inks, allowing even modest households to own colorful images of famous places. The scene shows Lake Suwa shimmering below rugged peaks, with travelers and packhorses winding al...
About the Artist
Keisai Eisen · 1790–1848
Keisai Eisen (1790–1848), born Ikeda Yoshinobu in Edo (modern Tokyo), emerged as one of the late Edo period's most prolific ukiyo-e masters. The son of the renowned calligrapher and Kanō-school painter Ikeda Shigeharu, Eisen was immersed in the arts from childhood. He apprenticed under Kanō Hakkeisai, adopting the art name "Keisai" in homage to his teacher, and later studied bijin-ga (images of be...