Who painted Hira no Bosetsu|近江八景の内比良暮雪|Evening Snow on Mount Hira?

Hira no Bosetsu|近江八景の内比良暮雪|Evening Snow on Mount Hira was painted by Utagawa Hiroshige in 1828.

Where can I see Hira no Bosetsu|近江八景の内比良暮雪|Evening Snow on Mount Hira?

Hira no Bosetsu|近江八景の内比良暮雪|Evening Snow on Mount Hira is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Hira no Bosetsu|近江八景の内比良暮雪|Evening Snow on Mount Hira?

Hira no Bosetsu|近江八景の内比良暮雪|Evening Snow on Mount Hira is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Hira no Bosetsu|近江八景の内比良暮雪|Evening Snow on Mount Hira

Utagawa Hiroshige , 1828

Hira no Bosetsu|近江八景の内比良暮雪|Evening Snow on Mount Hira 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

Evening Snow on Mount Hira, a woodblock print by Utagawa Hiroshige, dates to 1828 and forms part of his landscape series. Characteristic of his focus on natural beauty, the piece captures a serene winter landscape.

Subject & Meaning

The print depicts a snowy mountain range with sharp peaks, a village, frozen lake, boats, and houses under a dark sky, where snow glows softly. This composition reflects Hiroshige’s emphasis on subtle seasonal beauty.

Technique & Style

Hiroshige employed quick, angled lines to convey snow and ice textures. The near-flat depiction of trees and buildings is a stylistic choice to suggest depth, a common technique in ukiyo-e prints.

History & Provenance

Created in 1828 by Utagawa Hiroshige, a renowned ukiyo-e artist known for landscape depictions rather than urban themes, as part of his series highlighting natural beauty across seasons.

Context

Part of a broader shift in ukiyo-e towards natural landscapes, Evening Snow on Mount Hira exemplifies Hiroshige’s contribution to this thematic evolution, diverging from the genre’s typical urban focus.

Legacy

As one of Hiroshige’s landscape works, it contributes to his lasting influence on the ukiyo-e tradition, particularly in atmospheric landscape representation.

Artist & collection

Artist

Utagawa Hiroshige

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.