Artwork
Asakusa Kinryuzan shita Azumabashi uchu nozomi|東都名所 浅草金龍山下東橋雨中望|View of the Asakusa Kinryuzan Temple from the Azuma Bridge in the Rain
Asakusa Kinryuzan shita Azumabashi uchu nozomi|東都名所 浅草金龍山下東橋雨中望|View of the Asakusa Kinryuzan Temple from the Azuma Bridge in the Rain is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Utagawa Hiroshige. It dates from 1840 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
This woodblock print, created by Utagawa Hiroshige around 1840, depicts a rain-soaked scene of Asakusa Kinryuzan Temple viewed from Azuma Bridge. It is a tanzaku-format print made with ink and color on paper.
Subject & Meaning
The print shows a cityscape with a prominent pagoda glowing red against dark clouds, boats on a river, and buildings along the shore. The scene captures a moment of everyday life in a famous location, suggesting its use as a travel guide to notable sites.
Technique & Style
Hiroshige employed short, sharp lines to convey the movement of rain and activity in the scene. The colors used are bright yet muted, featuring blues, reds, and greens. The style reflects Hiroshige's focus on landscapes and daily life, diverging from the typical ukiyo-e subjects of urban entertainment.
Artist & collection
Artist
Utagawa Hiroshige (歌川 広重) or Andō Hiroshige (安藤 広重), born Andō Tokutarō (安藤 徳太郎; 1797 – 12 October 1858), was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist, considered the last great master of that tradition.
東海道五十三次 二川|Futakawa, from the series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō Road
Untitled
Ikegami Bansho|江戸近郊八景之内 池上晩鐘|Vesper Bells at Ikegami
Sudden Shower over Shin-Ōhashi Bridge and Atake, from the series One Hundred Famous Views of Edo
Gathering Shells at Low Tide at Susaki; from the series 100 Views of Famous Places in Edo
歌川広重画 「あふみ八景 辛崎夜雨」|Evening Rain at Karasaki, from the series Eight Views of Ōmi (Ōmi hakkei)
Sudden Shower over Shin-Ōhashi Bridge and Atake, from One Hundred Famous Views of Edo