Artwork
東海道五十三次 二川|Futakawa, from the series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō Road
東海道五十三次 二川|Futakawa, from the series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō Road is an ink print by Utagawa Hiroshige. It is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Futakawa is a woodblock print from the series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō Road, created by Utagawa Hiroshige. It depicts a rainy scene by a river, showcasing the artist's focus on landscape.
Subject & Meaning
The print captures a moment on the Tōkaidō Road, a historic route between Edo and Kyoto. Travelers are shown seeking shelter under umbrellas and tents, conveying a sense of everyday life during inclement weather.
Technique & Style
Hiroshige employed bold black lines to convey rain and texture, while colors are subdued by the gray sky, evoking a damp atmosphere. The use of line work and color creates depth and mood in the scene.
History & Provenance
The print is part of a series created by Hiroshige, a prominent ukiyo-e artist, marking a shift in his work from urban entertainment to landscapes. The exact date of creation is not specified, but it is associated with his mature period.
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 土山|Tsuchiyama, from the series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō Road
東海道五十三次 袋井|Fukuroi, from the series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō Road
東海道五十三次 二川|Futagawa
東海道五十三次・庄野 白雨|Sudden Shower at Shōno, from the series Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō
木曽海道六拾九次之内 須原|Suhara, from The Sixty-nine Stations of the Kisokaidō
東海道五十三次 池鯉鮒|Chiryūshuku, from the series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō Road
東海道五十三次 亀山|Kameyama, from the series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō Road
東海道五十三次 土山 春の雨|Spring Rain at Tsuchiyama, from the series Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō
東海道五十三次 鳴海|Narumi, from the series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō Road
The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido: Otsu
東海道五十三次之内 藤川 棒鼻の図|Station Thirty-Eight: Fujikawa, Scene at the Border, from the Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido