The Beach at Takanawa (Takanawa kaigan), from the series "Thirty-six Views of the Eastern Capital (Toto sanjurokkei)"

Art Historical Context

This evocative color woodblock print captures a serene coastal scene at Takanawa, a picturesque beach area along Edo’s waterfront. Created by Utagawa Hiroshige II in 1862 as part of his series “Thirty-six Views of the Eastern Capital,” the work continues the celebrated tradition of his teacher, Utagawa Hiroshige I. Like its famous predecessor, the series offers viewers intimate glimpses of well-known sites around the bustling capital, blending natural beauty with subtle human activity. Produced using the intricate ukiyo-e technique of color woodblock printing on an oban sheet, the print showc...

About the Artist

Utagawa Hiroshige II (Shigenobu) · 1826–1869

Utagawa Hiroshige II, born Suzuki Chinpei in 1826, was one of the most accomplished ukiyo-e artists of mid-nineteenth century Japan. He entered the studio of the celebrated landscape master Utagawa Hiroshige I — known for his iconic series "The Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido" — and proved himself the most talented of the elder artist's few students. So highly regarded was the young pupil that...