Artwork
Haneda Rakugan|江戸近郊八景之内 羽根田落雁|Wild Geese at Haneda
Haneda Rakugan|江戸近郊八景之内 羽根田落雁|Wild Geese at Haneda is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Utagawa Hiroshige. It dates from 1828 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Haneda Rakugan, or Wild Geese at Haneda, is a woodblock print created by Utagawa Hiroshige in 1828. It is part of a landscape series showcasing the artist's skill in capturing natural scenes.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a serene coastal landscape at dusk, featuring wild geese in flight over a misty marsh with reeds, trees, and boats on calm water. A small wooden house is visible through the trees, adding a touch of human presence.
Technique & Style
Hiroshige employed short, sharp lines to convey texture, a technique common in woodblock printing that saved ink and time. This approach is evident in the rendering of reeds and clouds, contributing to the overall subtlety of the composition.
Context
As a prominent ukiyo-e artist, Hiroshige often deviated from the genre's typical focus on urban subjects, instead emphasizing landscapes and natural scenes, as seen in this print.
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.
江戸近郊八景之内 羽根田落雁|Haneda Rakugan
近江八景之内 堅田落雁|Returning Geese at Katada
歌川広重画 「あふみ八景 堅田落雁」|Descending Geese at Katada, from the series Eight Views of Ōmi (Ōmi hakkei)
東海道五十三次 白須賀 汐見坂|Shirasuke
Katada no Rakugan|近江八景之内 堅田落雁|Returning Geese at Katada
近江八景之内 堅田落雁|Geese Flying Down to Katada
琉球八景 臨海潮（湖）聲|Sound of the Lake at Rinkai (Rinkai kosei), from the series Eight Views of the Ryūkyū Islands (Ryūkyū hakkei)
近江八景之内 堅田落雁|Geese Alighting at Katada, Lake Biwa