Mt. Nokogiri Seen from a Distance
19th century
Medium
Matted painting; ink and color on silk
Dimensions
8 1/4 x 12 3/16 in. (21.0 x 30.9 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Francis Lathrop, 1908
Accession Number
08.148.8
Tags
Art Historical Context
Utagawa Hiroshige1797–1858), one of Japan's most celebrated ukiyo-e artists masterfully captures the serene beauty of nature in *Mt. Nokogiri Seen a Distance*. Created during the Edo period (5–1868), this intimate matted painting on silk depicts the iconic jagged peaks of Mount Nokogiri— as "Saw Mountain" for its serrated silhouette—rising dramatically from the misty horizon. Small boats dot the foreground waters, evoking the everyday life of coastal travelers and fishermen, a hallmark of Hiroshige's ability to blend human activity with vast landscapes. Rendered in delicate ink and vibrant co...
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...