Snow on the Kiso Gorge, Shinshu Province (Shinshu Kiso no yuki) from the series “One Hundred Famous Views in the Various Provinces (Shokoku meisho hyakkei)”
Medium
Color woodblock print
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
196798
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
Behold the serene beauty of *Snow on the Kiso Gorge Shinshu Province (Shinshu Kiso nouki)*, a captivating color woodblock print fromtagawa Hiroshige's series *One Hundred Famous Views the Various Provinces (Shoku meisho hyakkei)*, created in 1859. This work captures a tranquil winter scene in Japan's mountainous Shinshu Province (modern-day Nagano), where snow the rugged Kiso Gorge, evoking the quiet majesty of nature under a pale sky. Hiroshige II, a pupil of his famous uncle and master Utagawa Hiroshige I, masterfully continued the ukiyo-e tradition of landscape prints, blending poetic realism with vivid seasonal drama. Printed during the late Edo period, this piece exemplifies the woodblock technique's brilliance: intricate carving and layering of color blocks produce Hiroshige II's signature atmospheric effects—soft gradients of white and blue mimic falling snow and mist-shrouded peaks, drawing viewers into the chilly expanse. The series, echoing Hiroshige I's iconic *One Hundred Famous Views of Edo*, celebrated Japan's diverse provincial beauty, fueling a craze for travel souvenirs amid growing domestic tourism. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of Asia department, this print highlights ukiyo-e's global influence, bridging Japanese culture with Western audiences and underscoring Hiroshige II's role in preserving a fading woodblock legacy as modernization loomed. A perfect emblem of fleeting winter wonder!
About the Artist
Utagawa Hiroshige II (Shigenobu) · 1826–1869
Utagawa Hiroshige II, born Suzuki Chinpei in 1826, was one of the most accomplished ukiyo-e artists of mid-nineteenth century Japan. He entered the studio of the celebrated landscape master Utagawa Hiroshige I — known for his iconic series "The Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido" — and proved himself the most talented of the elder artist's few students. So highly regarded was the young pupil that...