Festival
18th century
Medium
landscapes
Classification
landscapes
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of the Estate of Mrs. Robert H. Patterson
Accession Number
1941-31-320
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Ando Hiroshige (1797–1858), a master of Japanese ukiyo-e wood prints, captures the vibrant energy of everyday life in his artwork *Festival*. Active during Japan's Edo period, Hiroshige revolutionized landscape art by blending poetic natural scenes with human activity, influencing later Impressionists like Monet and Van Gogh. This 18th-century piece, classified as a landscape, likely depicts a traditional Japanese matsuri—festivals filled with parades, lanterns, and communal joy—set against evocative scenery, a hallmark of his style. Hiroshige's technique shines in his masterful use of color ...