Night View of Matsuchi Hill and the San’ya Canal (Matsuchiyama San’yabori yakei), from the series "One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (Meisho Edo hyakkei)"
Medium
Color woodblock print; oban
Dimensions
35.8 × 24.4 cm (13 1/4 × 8 3/4 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
33999
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Here, a woman walks along the San’ya Canal at night. Illuminated by a bright lantern, her face contrasts dramatically with the sky. The three-colored, square title cartouche in the upper-right corner indicates that this is the first edition of this design. The beautiful grain of the woodblock, clearly visible in the dark gray sky and blue water, is also a feature of early editions. In later versions, made from the worn woodblocks, the grain stands out less. This image is further enhanced by colo...
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...