Maple Leaves in Shimosa Province (Shimosa, momiji), section of sheet no. 7 from the series "Cutout Pictures of the Provinces (Kunizukushi harimaze zue)"

Art Historical Context

This delicate woodblock print by Utagawa Hiroshige captures the quiet beauty of autumn in Shimosa Province through a cluster of vibrant maple leaves. Created in 1852 during Japan’s Edo period, the image forms part of the artist’s inventive series “Cutout Pictures of the Provinces,” designed as a harimaze sheet—an assemblage of small, separate scenes that viewers could cut apart and paste into albums or screens. Hiroshige, celebrated for his poetic landscapes and keen observation of seasonal change, distills an entire region’s essence into this modest 20-by-10-centimeter fragment. The print exemplifies ukiyo-e’s remarkable technical and artistic range. Produced through the collaborative process of drawing, carving, and printing with multiple color blocks, it demonstrates Hiroshige’s mastery of subtle gradations and economical composition. Even in its reduced size, the work conveys depth and atmosphere, inviting viewers to imagine wandering through the maple groves of eastern Japan. Today, this section from the Art Institute of Chicago’s collection offers a charming window into mid-nineteenth-century Japanese print culture, where art was both affordable entertainment and a portable celebration of place and season.

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...