東海道五十三次　江尻|Ejiri

Art Historical Context

Utagawa Hiroshige1797–1858), a master of ukiyo-e woodblock prints, created *Ejiri* around 1838 as part of his renowned series *The Fifty-three of the Tōkaidō*. This iconic set depicts the 53 post stations along the Tōkaidō highway, the vital coastal route connecting Edo (modern Tokyo) and during Japan's Edo period (16151868). Hiroshige's works captured the beauty of everyday travel, blending landscapes with human activity to evoke a sense of journey and transience. In this intimate 8½ × 6½-inch print, rendered in vibrant ink and color on paper, Hiroshige portrays the station at Ejiri in Suruga province. Tiny human figures traverse a winding path amid houses, trees, and majestic mountains, highlighting the harmony between people and nature—a hallmark of his atmospheric style. The woodblock technique allowed for precise layering of colors and subtle gradients, bringing dynamic weather and depth to the scene, even in such a compact format. These prints were immensely popular, affordable entertainments for urban dwellers dreaming of distant travels amid Japan's isolationist policies. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Asian Art department (Rogers Fund, 1914), *Ejiri* exemplifies Hiroshige's influence on global art, inspiring later Impressionists like Monet with its evocative light and composition.

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...