Ishibe, from the series "Fifty-three Stations [of the Tokaido] (Gojusan tsugi)," also known as the Figure Tokaido (Jinbutsu Tokaido)
![Ishibe, from the series "Fifty-three Stations [of the Tokaido] (Gojusan tsugi)," also known as the Figure Tokaido (Jinbutsu Tokaido) by Utagawa Hiroshige](https://images.artheonmuseum.org/aic/thumb/ishibe-from-the-series-fifty-three-stations-of-aic-194463.webp)
Medium
Color woodblock print; chuban
Dimensions
25.4 × 18.1 cm (10 × 7 1/8 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
194463
Art Historical Context
Utagawa Hiroshige, a master of the ukiyo-e wood print tradition, created *Ishibe* in 1852 as part of his *Figure Tōkaidō* series (also called *Jinbutsu Tōkaidō*), a variant of the iconic *Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō*. This chuban-sized color woodblock print (25.4 × 18.1 cm) captures the bustling post town of Ishibe, the 26th station along the historic Tōkaidō road connecting Edo (modern Tokyo) to Kyoto. Unlike Hiroshige's more famous landscape-focused versions, this series emphasizes lively human figures—travelers, porters, and locals—bringing the journey's vibrant social tapestry to l...
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...