Woman gathering seaweed
Medium
Color woodblock print; sanchogake
Dimensions
25.8 × 12.1 cm (10 3/16 × 4 13/16 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
60439
Art Historical Context
In the delicate world of ukiyo-e woodblock prints, Utagawashige (1797–1858) captures the quiet poetry of everyday Japanese life. This undated color woodblock print, *Woman Gathering Seaweed*, depicts a solitary figure bent in labor along the shore, her kimono fluttering in the sea breeze. Hiroshige a master of the genre known for his evocative landscapes like *The Fifty-three Stations of Tōkaidō*, here shifts focus to intimate human activity, blending natural beauty with humble toil during Japan's Edo period (1603–1868). The print's narrow sanchogake format—measuring just 25.8 × 12.1 cm—makes...
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...