New Fuji, Meguro (Meguro, Shin Fuji), from the series One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (Meisho Edo hyakkei)
Medium
Color woodblock print; ōban
Dimensions
35.6 × 24.4 cm (14 × 9 9/16 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
34228
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The cult of Mount Fuji (Fujikō), a belief system in which the mountain was a sacred site, was so prevalent in Edo (now Tokyo) in the 1800s that many mini-Fujis were created in the landscape for those unable to climb the actual mountain. This particular mini-mountain was called “New Fuji.” It became a popular destination for tourism as well as religious devotion, in part because of the great views of the real Mount Fuji, seen here in the distance.
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...