Artwork
Hakusan Keiseiga Kubo (Daisen)|江戸高名会亭尽 白山傾城ヶ窪|Tea house in Hakusen district
Hakusan Keiseiga Kubo (Daisen)|江戸高名会亭尽 白山傾城ヶ窪|Tea house in Hakusen district is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Utagawa Hiroshige. It dates from 1838 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created circa 1838 by Utagawa Hiroshige, this woodblock print portrays a tea house situated in the Hakusen district. Executed with ink and color on paper, the work exemplifies the late Edo period’s ukiyo-e tradition and is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection.
Subject & Meaning
The composition captures a bustling street scene before the tea house, dividing the picture into two planes. The upper level shows patrons gathered on the second floor of the establishment, while the lower level depicts pedestrians, horse riders, and vendors moving along the thoroughfare, conveying everyday urban activity.
Technique & Style
Hiroshige employs bold line work and a vivid palette to delineate figures and architecture, creating depth through overlapping planes and contrasting colors. The print’s clear separation of foreground and background, together with its dynamic arrangement of human figures, reflects the artist’s skill in rendering lively environments within the constraints of woodblock production.
History & Provenance
Produced during the final phase of Hiroshige’s career, the print belongs to a period when the artist was recognized as one of the last major exponents of traditional ukiyo-e. It later entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains on display as a representative example of Edo‑period printmaking.
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.
