魚づくし ひらめ めばるに桜|Hirame and Mebaru Fish with Cherry Blossoms, from the series Uozukushi (Every Variety of Fish)

Hiroshige employed traditional ukiyo-e woodblock methods, carving separate blocks for line work and each hue. Fine, parallel incisions create a subtle texture on the fish scales, giving them a tactile, almost three‑dimensional quality. The limited palette of muted blues, pinks, and greens is applied in layered washes, achieving a harmonious balance between detail and atmosphere.

The print emerged during the late Edo period, a time when Hiroshige expanded his repertoire beyond urban scenes to include natural subjects. After its production, the piece entered private collections before being acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains on view as an example of mid‑nineteenth‑century Japanese printmaking.