The Hanging-Cloud Bridge at Mount Gyodo near Ashikaga (Ashikaga Gyodozan kumo no kakehashi), from the series "Unusual Views of Famous Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyo kiran)"
c. 1833/34
Medium
Color woodblock print; oban
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
149107
Art Historical Context
Katsushika Hokusai created this striking color woodblock print around 1833–34 as part of his series “Unusual Views of Famous Bridges in Various Provinces.” The work depicts the dramatic Hanging-Cloud Bridge at Mount Gyodo near Ashikaga, capturing the poetic interplay between architecture and nature that fascinated viewers the Edo period. Hai, already celebrated his dynamic landscapes, used series to explore Japan’s celebrated bridges through inventive compositions that emphasize height, mist, and sweeping vistas. Printed in the oban format using multiple carved blocks for vibrant colors, the ...
About the Artist
Katsushika Hokusai · 1760–1849
Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) stands as one of history's most influential artists, a Japanese master who revolutionized the ukiyo-e woodblock print tradition and profoundly shaped Western art. Born in the Katsushika district of Edo (modern-day Tokyo) to an artisan family, Hokusai lived through nearly nine decades of extraordinary creative evolution, adopting over thirty different artistic names t...