江戸高名会亭尽 山谷 八百善|San-ya (Yaozen)
ca. 1840
Medium
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
H. 9 3/8 in. (23.8 cm); W. 14 3/16 in. (36 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1919
Accession Number
JP1181
Tags
Art Historical Context
Utagawa Hirosh (1797–1858), a master of ukiyo-e woodblock prints, captures the vibrant leisure culture of Edo-period Japan (1615–1868) in *San-ya (Yaozen)*, from his series *Edo Famous Restaurants* (ca. 1840). This charming print depicts the popular Yaozen eatery in the San'ya, a bustling area on the outskirts of Edo (modern Tokyo). Amidst lush trees and distant mountains, men and women gather, evoking the era's fascination with urban outings and scenic teahouses that offered respite from city life. Hiroshige's genius lies in blending human activity with nature, using delicate ink and color o...
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...