Kai Province: Monkey Bridge (Kai, Saruhashi), from the series "Famous Places in the Sixty-odd Provinces (Rokujuyoshu meisho zue)"

Art Historical Context

In Utagawa Hiroshige's *Kai Province: Monkey BridgeKai, Saruhashi)* from the series *Famous Places in the-odd Provinces (Rokujuyoshu meisho zue)*, created in 1853 we encounter a masterful snapshot of Japan's rugged natural beauty. This color woodblock print captures the dramatic Saruhashi Bridge in Kai (modern-day Yamanashi Prefecture), vine-suspended span over a rushing river gorge, evoking the precarious "monkey bridge" nickname from local lore. Hiroshige, a leading ukiyo-e artist of the Edo period, populates the scene with tiny travelers and lush foliage, blending human endeavor with nature's wild poetry. Printed as an oban sheet (35.4 × 24.5 cm), this work exemplifies the collaborative artistry of woodblock printing: carvers, printers, and publishers produced vibrant, affordable images for everyday viewers. Hiroshige's series, spanning around 70 provinces, celebrated Japan's diverse landscapes during a time of growing domestic travel via roads like the Tokaido, fostering national pride amid isolationist policies. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of Asia collection, this print highlights ukiyo-e's global influence, inspiring later Impressionists like Monet. Notice Hiroshige's atmospheric perspective and bold colors—inviting you to imagine crossing that swaying bridge yourself!

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...