Ochanomizu in the Eastern Capital (Toto Ochanomizu), from the series "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fuji sanjurokkei)"
Medium
Color woodblock print; oban
Classification
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
59015
Art Historical Context
Utagawa Hiroshige, a master of ukiyo-e woodblock prints, created *Ochanomizu in the Eastern Capital (Tōto Ochanomizu)* in 1858 as part of his renowned series *Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji*. Though the series title suggests 36 prints, Hiroshige produced 46, each showcasing the majestic mountain from unexpected urban and rural vantage points around Japan. This oban-sized color woodblock print (roughly 10 x 14 inches) captures the Ochanomizu district in Edo (modern Tokyo), a bustling area known for its pure spring water and the dramatic stone bridge arching over the Kanda River, with Mount Fuji...
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...