六十余州名所図会 阿波 鳴門の風波|Naruto Whirlpool, Awa Province, from the series Views of Famous Places in the Sixty-Odd Provinces
ca. 1853
Medium
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
Vertical ōban; Image: 14 × 9 5/8 in. (35.6 × 24.4 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1919
Accession Number
JP1198
Tags
Art Historical Context
Utagawa Hiroshige *Naruto Whirlpool,wa Province*, from his series *Views of Famous in the Sixty-Odd* (ca. 1853), the raw fury of one of Japan's most iconic natural wonders. This vertical ōban wood print depicts the swirling vortex of the Naruto Strait, where powerful tidal currents create mesmerizing whirlpools. Hiroshige, a master of the ukiyo-e tradition, invites viewers into a dynamic seascape alive with churning waves, evoking both awe and the sublime power of nature. Produced during Japan's Edo period (1615–1868), the print exemplifies the woodblock technique: intricate carvings on woode...
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...