Zenkoji Temple and the Ferry at Kawaguchi (Kawaguchi no watashi Zenkoji), from the series "One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (Meisho Edo hyakkei)"
Medium
Color woodblock print; oban
Dimensions
35.5 × 24 cm (14 × 9 7/16 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
34225
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
Behold the serene beauty of *Zenkoji Temple and the Ferry Kawaguchi (Kaw no watashi Zenko)*, a captivating color woodblock print from Utagawa Hiroshige monumental series *One Hundred Famous of Edo (Meisho Edo hyakkei)*, created in 1857. This oban-sized work (35.5 × 24 cm) captures a tranquil riverside scene in Edo—modern-day Tokyo—where pilgrims cross by ferry toward the distant silhouette of Zenkoji Temple, framed by misty mountains and everyday life along the water. Hiroshige, a master of the ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world") tradition, elevated landscape printmaking with his poetic sensitivity to nature, weather, and human activity. Published between 1856 and 1859 by publishers Uoya Ebisuya, the series immortalized over 100 iconic Edo vistas, blending precise observation with atmospheric depth. This print exemplifies his genius for composition, using bold color blocks and subtle gradients to evoke a sense of journey and spirituality amid Japan's Edo-period urban bustle. As a polychrome woodblock print, it showcases the collaborative artistry of carvers, printers, and publishers, achieving vibrant hues through intricate layering. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of Asia department, this piece not only reflects 19th-century Japanese culture's reverence for famous sites but also influenced global artists like Van Gogh, bridging Eastern and Western aesthetics. A window into a vanishing world!
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...