Shinano Province: The Moon Reflected in the Sarashina Rice Fields near Mount Kyôdai (Shinano, Sarashina tagoto no tsuki, Kyōdaisan), from the series Famous Places in the Sixty-Odd Provinces (Rokujūyoshū meisho zue)
Medium
Color woodblock print; ōban
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
12530
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
In Utagawa Hiroshige's masterful *Shinano Province: The Reflected in the Sarina Rice Fields near Mount Kyôdai* (1853), part of his renowned series *Famous Places the Sixty-Odd Provinces we glimpse the poetic beauty of rural Japan. Hiroshige, a leading figure in the ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world") movement, traveled extensively to capture the essence of Japan's landscapes. This print from Shinano Province (modern Nagano) depicts a tranquil night scene: the full moon's glow shimmering across flooded rice paddies, framed by the silhouette of Mount Kyôdai and distant travelers with lanterns. Printed as an *ōban* (large-format) color woodblock, the work showcases Hiroshige's genius in layering subtle colors through precise carving and multiple woodblocks. Blues and silvers evoke moonlight's ethereal quality, while the reflective water surface creates a dreamlike symmetry, blending human activity with nature's grandeur. This technique not only highlighted the medium's affordability—making art accessible beyond elites—but also immortalized seasonal ephemera. Created during Japan's Edo period, amid growing nationalism and fascination with the homeland, the series celebrated overlooked provincial gems over urban scenes. Today, housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of Asia department, it invites visitors to ponder Hiroshige's enduring influence on global artists like Van Gogh, reminding us of nature's quiet majesty.
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...