Utagawa Hiroshige the
last great master of *ukiyo-e was born in Edo (modern Tokyo) He joined the
school of the ukiyo-e master Toyohiro at the age of 14, and his first
publication a book illustration came out in 1818. Up to 1830 he concentrated
on figural work, prints of girls, actors and warriors. After Toyohiro's
death he began painting landscape and nature studies. This field had already
been revolutionized by Hokusai. "Famous Places in the Eastern Capital" , and
then "53 Stations on the Tokaido" the later bringing fame. The Tokaido was
the road that linked Edo with Kyoto and these pictures represent the trip he
made as an official in a Government mission to the Imperial Court in Kyoto.
Further journeys resulted in more landscape studies. His landscapes are
characterized by atmospheric color reflecting the changes in nature - rain,
snow, and different times of the day and year. His 53 Stages of the Tokaido
had a great influence on Western Impressionist painters, but heralded the
decline of ukiyo-e art. Altogether Hiroshige produced more than 5400
woodblock prints and exerted an influence on Western art, above all the
Impressionists who saw his work at the Paris Expositions Universelles of
1855, 1867 and 1878.
* Ukiyo-e - was the fashionable genre painting of the Tokugawa period -
(wood block print design).
ARS MUNDI
Click on the prints to visit their site
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Suijin Grove and Masaki 1856-58 |
Plum Orchard in Kamata 1856-1858 |
Kameido Tenjin Schrein 1856-1858 |
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Double Cherry in Flower |
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