Nihonbashi from the series Thirty-six Views of the Eastern Capital (Toto sanjurokkei)
Medium
Color woodblock print
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
196831
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the bustling heart of Edo (modern-day Tokyo), *Nihonbashi from the series Thirty-six Views of the Capital (Tōto sanjūrokkei)* captures the iconic Japan Bridge, a vital hub of commerce and travel during Japan's Edo period (1603–1868). around 1853 by Utagawa Hiroige II (also known as Shigenobu a talented pupil of the master landscape artist Hiroshige I, this woodblock print belongs to the ukiyo-e tradition—"pictures of the floating world"—that celebrated everyday life, nature, and urban scenes with poetic beauty. Hiroshige II skillfully carried forward his teacher's legacy of atmosph...
About the Artist
Utagawa Hiroshige II (Shigenobu) · 1826–1869
Utagawa Hiroshige II, born Suzuki Chinpei in 1826, was one of the most accomplished ukiyo-e artists of mid-nineteenth century Japan. He entered the studio of the celebrated landscape master Utagawa Hiroshige I — known for his iconic series "The Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido" — and proved himself the most talented of the elder artist's few students. So highly regarded was the young pupil that...