19th century
Medium
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
Image: 13 1/2 × 9 1/2 in. (34.3 × 24.1 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of the Estate of Samuel Isham, 1914
Accession Number
JP212.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
This woodblock print by Utagawa Hiroshige, created during Japan’s Edo period (1615–1868), exemplifies the vibrant ukiyo-e tradition that flourished in urban centers like Edo (modern-day Tokyo). Hiroshige, one of the movement’s leading masters, specialized in capturing fleeting moments of life with poetic sensitivity. Though titled simply “Print,” the work’s association with depictions of women aligns with the popular genre of bijin-ga, or “pictures of beautiful people,” which celebrated contemporary fashion, grace, and social scenes. The medium itself—ink and color on paper produced through i...
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...