Pear Blossoms and Swallows
ca. 1840
Medium
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
13 1/10 x 4 3/8 in. (33.3 x 11.1 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, 1918
Accession Number
JP262
Tags
Art Historical Context
Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858), one of Japan's greatest masters of ukiyo-e woodblock, captures the fleeting beauty of spring in *Pear Bloms and Swallows*ca. 1840). Created during the Edo period (5–1868), this intimate ōban yoko-e print—measuring just 13 1/10 x 4 3/8 inches—showcases Hiroshige's signature sensitivity to nature. As part of the vibrant ukiyo-e tradition, "pictures of the floating world," these affordable prints brought art to everyday people, depicting scenes from urban life, theater, and the natural world. The composition features delicate white pear blossoms against a soft blue...
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...