Goten Hill (Goten-yama), from the series "Flower Viewing in Edo (Edo hanami tsukushi)"
Medium
Color woodblock print; oban
Dimensions
36.6 × 24.5 cm (14 3/8 × 9 5/8 in.)
Classification
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
32917
Art Historical Context
Utagawa Kunisada I, also known as Toyokuni III, created this vibrant color woodblock print around the 1820s as part of his series “Flower Viewing in Edo.” The work depicts Goten Hill, a celebrated cherry blossom spot in the capital, capturing the lively spirit of hanami, the traditional springtime custom of viewing flowers. As one of the leading ukiyo-e artists of his day, Kunisada specialized in scenes of urban life, theater, and scenic views that appealed to a broad Edo audience. Printed in the oban format on a single sheet measuring roughly 14 by 9 inches, the work exemplifies the technica...
About the Artist
Utagawa Kunisada I (Toyokuni III) · 1786–1864
Utagawa Kunisada I, also known as Toyokuni III (1786–1865), was born Sumida Shōgorō in the Honjo district of Edo (modern Tokyo) into a family that operated a hereditary ferry-boat service, providing stability after his father's early death. Displaying prodigious talent in drawing from childhood, he became an apprentice to the master Utagawa Toyokuni I around 1801 at age fifteen, entering the prest...