Tsuten-kyo Bridge, Tofuku Temple, Kyoto (Kyoto Tofukuji Tsutenkyo bashi) from the series “One Hundred Famous Views in the Various Provinces (Shokoku meisho hyakkei)”

Art Historical Context

This color woodblock print by Utagawa Hiroshige II captures the graceful Tsuten-kyo Bridge at Tofuku-ji Temple in Kyoto. Created in 1859 as part of the ambitious series “One Hundred Famous Views in the Various Provinces,” the work belongs to the rich tradition of ukiyo-e landscape prints that flourished during Japan’s late Edo period. Hiroshige II, who studied under the celebrated Hiroshige I, continued his teacher’s focus on atmospheric scenery and seasonal beauty, translating the quiet elegance of temple grounds into a portable format for a growing audience of travelers and collectors. Woodblock printing allowed artists like Hiroshige II to layer translucent colors and crisp lines, producing affordable yet sophisticated images that celebrated Japan’s celebrated sites. Measuring just over 13 by 9 inches, this intimate print invites close viewing, drawing attention to the bridge’s sweeping curve and the surrounding foliage. Today, visitors to the Art Institute of Chicago can appreciate how such works preserved and popularized the cultural landmarks of Kyoto for audiences far beyond the temple’s gates.

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...