Rokugo, from the series "A Record of a Journey to Enoshima (Enoshima kiko)"
1833
Medium
Color woodblock print; shikishiban, surimono
Dimensions
21 × 18.3 cm (8 5/16 × 7 1/4 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
86729
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of19th-century Japanese uyo-e with *Rokugo*, a color woodblock print by Totoya Hokkei from his 1833 series *A Record of a to Enoshima (Enoshima kiko)*. Hokkei, a skilled pupil of the master Katsushika Hokusai, captures a scenic moment along the pilgrimage route to Enoshima, the sacred island shrine near Kamakura celebrated for its spiritual allure and stunning coastal views. This intimate shikishiban-format print—square and compact at 21 × 18.3 cm—evokes the wanderlust of Edo-period travelers documenting their adventures. As a surimono, a deluxe privately commissio...
About the Artist
Totoya Hokkei · 1780–1850
Totoya Hokkei (魚屋 北渓, 1780–1850), born Iwakubo Tatsuyuki in Edo (modern Tokyo), began his life as a humble fishmonger in the Yotsuya Samegahashi district, a trade reflected in his art name "Totoya," meaning fish shop. He transitioned to art through rigorous training, first studying under Kanō Yōsen'in Korenobu, head of the Kobikichō branch of the prestigious Kanō school, where he honed landscape p...