東海道五十三次 水口|Mizukuchi, from the series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō Road
early 20th century
Medium
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
7 x 9 in. (17.8 x 22.9 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture
Japan
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Cole J. Younger, 1975
Accession Number
JP3491
Tags
Art Historical Context
Utagawa Hiroshige *Mizukuchi, from the series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tkaidō Road* is a captivating woodblock print from the early 20th, measuring a intimate 7 x 9 inches. This vibrant ink and color on paper the 51st station along the historic Tōkaidō Road, a vital 300-mile route connecting Edo (modern Tokyo) to Kyoto during Japan's Edo period (1603–1868). Hiroshige, a master of the ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world") tradition, immortalized these post stations in his iconic 1833–1834 series, with later impressions like this one keeping his legacy alive. Hiroshige's genius lies...
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...