名所江戸百景　川口のわたし善光寺|Kawaguchi

Art Historical Context

Utagawa Hiroshige *Kawaguchi* (from the series *One Hundred Famous Views Edo*), created in 1857, a serene riverside scene during Japan's Edo period (1615–1868). This woodblock print depicts the Kawaguchi area, likely featuring the ferry crossing (watashi) with toward Zenkōji temple bustling with boats, houses,, and human figures going about daily life. As one of Hiroshige's final masterpieces, it exemplifies his mastery of ukiyo-e—"pictures of the floating world"—focusing on transient beauty in urban and natural landscapes around Edo (modern Tokyo). Hiroshige's innovative techniques shine here: layered colors from multiple woodblocks create vibrant blues and greens, evoking misty atmospheres and the play of light on water. His oblique perspectives draw viewers into the scene, blending everyday realism with poetic mood. This ôban-sized print (14 x 9½ inches) was produced just before his death, amid Japan's shift toward modernization. Culturally, the series revolutionized landscape printmaking, influencing global artists like Vincent van Gogh. It preserves vanishing Edo views, offering a window into 19th-century Japanese life along the Sumida River, where ferries connected bustling communities. A treasured bequest to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, it invites us to savor Hiroshige's enduring celebration of place and season.

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...