Artwork
木曽海道六拾九次之内 福しま|Fukushima Station
木曽海道六拾九次之内 福しま|Fukushima Station is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Utagawa Hiroshige. It dates from 1837 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Utagawa Hiroshige’s woodblock print titled *Fukushima Station* belongs to his series *The Sixty‑Nine Stations of the Kiso Kaidō*, produced circa 1837.
Utagawa Hiroshige’s woodblock print titled *Fukushima Station* belongs to his series *The Sixty‑Nine Stations of the Kiso Kaidō*, produced circa 1837. The image captures a night‑time rainstorm on the Kiso Highway, showing travelers moving along a muddy path toward a modest wooden bridge, framed by pine trees and a low fence. The composition conveys the atmosphere of a rural way‑station in the Edo period.
Subject & Meaning
The scene focuses on three wayfarers—each bearing an umbrella and a bundled load—progressing through rain‑slicked terrain. By emphasizing the ordinary act of travel rather than theatrical or courtly subjects, Hiroshige highlights the everyday infrastructure of Japan’s post‑road network and the resilience of its users amid inclement weather.
Technique & Style
Hiroshige employs the ukiyo‑e woodblock method, using bold pigments of deep blue, green and red to delineate the night sky, foliage and structures. The rain is rendered with rapid, dotted strokes that suggest motion, while the pine trunks are defined through fine cross‑hatching, creating texture and depth within the limited palette.
History & Provenance
Created during the late Edo period, the print was part of a commercially issued series intended for a growing market of travelers and collectors interested in scenic travel guides. Original impressions were produced in Japan and later circulated among Western collectors in the late 19th century, contributing to the broader appreciation of Japanese printmaking abroad.
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.
