東海道五十三次 御油|Goyu
ca. 1838
Medium
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
H. 8 7/8 in. (22.5 cm); W. 6 1/2 in. (16.5 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1921
Accession Number
JP1264
Tags
Art Historical Context
Utagawa Hiroshige *Goyu*, from his renowned series *The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōidō* (ca. 1838), captures the bustling energy of the 33rd station along Japan's historic Tōkaidō road. Created during the Edo period (16151868), this woodblock print depicts everyday life at Goyu, a vital stopover for travelers journeying between Edo (modern Tokyo) and Kyoto Hiroshige, a master of the ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world") tradition, immortalized these roadside scenes, blending landscapes with human activity to evoke the poetry of travel. In this intimate vertical print (8 7/8 x 6 1/2 in...
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...