Koganei, section of a sheet from the series "Cutout Pictures of Famous Places in Edo (Edo meisho harimaze zue)"
Medium
Color woodblock print; section of harimaze sheet
Dimensions
20.6 × 11 cm (8 1/8 × 4 3/8 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
33522
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century Japan with *Koganei*, a charming section from Utagawashige's series *Cutout Pictures of Famous Places in Edo (Edo meisho harimaze zue)*, created in 1857. Hiroshige, a master the ukiyo-e woodblock print tradition, captures the serene beauty of Koganei—a picturesque suburb of Edo (modern-day Tokyo)—in this compact 20.6 × 11 cm panel. Part of an innovative *harimaze* sheet to be cut into individual prints, it showcases everyday landscapes that enchanted urban dwellers. Hiroshige's genius lies in his atmospheric landscapes, blending poetic realism with ...
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...