万国名勝尽競之内魯西亜本都伯徳|Heidoru (St. Petersberg), Capital of Russia, from the series Famous Places from All Nations (Bankoku meisho zukushi - Oroshiya miyako heidoru)
2nd month, 1865
Medium
Triptych of woodblock prints; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
Image (a): 14 5/8 x 10 in. (37.1 x 25.4 cm) Image (b): 14 5/8 x 9 7/8 in. (37.1 x 25.1 cm) Image (c): 14 1/2 x 10 in. (36.8 x 25.4 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of William S. Lieberman, 2005
Accession Number
2007.49.218a–c
Tags
Art Historical Context
This vibrant triptych woodblock by Utagawa Yosha, titled *Heidoru (St. Petersburg), Capital of Russia from the series *F Places from All Nations*, a lively interior scene in Russia's imperial capital. Created in the 2nd month of 1865 during Japan's late Edo period (1615–1868), it reflects the era's growing curiosity about the world beyond isolationist borders. As Japan navigated the end of sakoku (national seclusion) amid foreign pressures, artists like Yoshitora—a prolific ukiyo-e master known for his dynamic depictions of warriors, actors, and exotic locales—produced these prints to satisfy ...
About the Artist
Utagawa Yoshitora · 1845–1880
Utagawa Yoshitora (歌川 芳虎), also known by his art names Ichimōsai, Mōsai, and Kinchōrō, was a prolific ukiyo-e artist born in Edo (modern Tokyo), where he trained under the renowned Utagawa Kuniyoshi, recognized as his oldest pupil. Little is known of his early life, which remains sparsely documented, but his earliest works include illustrations for the book *Story of Karasu Kanzaemon’s Loyalty* in...