Fireworks at Ryōgoku, from the series One Hundred Views of Famous Places in Edo
Medium
color woodblock print
Dimensions
33.7 × 22 cm
Classification
Department
Japanese Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Bequest of James Parmelee
Accession Number
1940.986
Tags
male
About this artwork
The Ryōgoku Bridge, a repeated subject of Hiroshige’s prints, spanned the Sumida River connecting bustling Edo (present-day Tokyo) neighborhoods. Here, Hiroshige devoted nearly half the composition to the night sky glittering with fireworks. Restaurants and other businesses along the riverbank frequently sponsored these dazzling displays during the 1850s. The pyrotechnics drew large crowds, who gathered atop the bridge, along the shore, in teashops, and on rented pleasure boats to enjoy the show...