木曽海道六拾九次之内 宮ノ越|Moonlit Night at Miyanokoshi, from The Sixty-nine Stations of the Kisokaidō
ca. 1838
Medium
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
H. 9 5/8 in. (24.4 cm); W. 14 3/4 in. (37.5 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Henry L. Phillips Collection, Bequest of Henry L. Phillips, 1939
Accession Number
JP2871
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the moonlit glow of *Moonlit Night at Miyanokoshi*, Utagawashige captures a serene yet evocative moment along Japan's historic Kisokaidō road. Created around 1838 during the Edo period (1615–1868), this woodblock print is part of Hiroshige's renowned *Sixty-nine Stations of theokaidō* series, which depicts the 69 post stations on this vital inland route connecting Edo (modern Tokyo) to Kyoto. Rivaling his contemporary Hokusai's fame, Hiroshige's ukiyo-e style—meaning "pictures of the floating world"—brings everyday landscapes to life with poetic realism, making art accessible to commoners t...
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...