Artwork

横浜海岸通り之風景|View of the Seafront in Yokohama (Yokohama Kagandori no fūkei)

横浜海岸通り之風景|View of the Seafront in Yokohama (Yokohama Kagandori no fūkei) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Utagawa Hiroshige III. It dates from 5 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

View of the Seafront in Yokohama is a three‑panel woodblock print by Utagawa Hiroshige III. Executed in ink and color on paper, the work depicts a bustling harbor scene along Yokohama’s waterfront. The Metropolitan Museum of Art holds the piece in its collection.

Subject & Meaning

The triptych presents a lively port where Japanese and foreign vessels converge. Small riverboats ferry passengers past shore‑line buildings, while a larger boat with a green canopy rests near a dock. A three‑masted Western sailing ship anchors beside a crowded pier, underscoring Yokohama’s role as an international gateway in the Meiji era.

Technique & Style

Hiroshige III employed traditional ukiyo‑e woodblock methods, using bold outlines and vivid pigments to render architectural forms and foliage. The composition balances flat color fields with delicate details such as cherry‑blossom clusters and fluttering flags, merging Japanese aesthetic conventions with the depiction of Western‑style ships.

History & Provenance

Created in the late nineteenth century, the print reflects the rapid modernization of Yokohama after the opening of Japan’s ports to foreign trade. It entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s holdings through a mid‑twentieth‑century acquisition, where it remains on view as part of the museum’s Japanese prints collection.

Context

During the Meiji period, Yokohama transformed into a bustling hub for diplomatic and commercial exchange. Hiroshige III’s work captures this transitional moment, juxtaposing familiar Japanese urban scenery with the novel presence of Western maritime technology, illustrating the cultural hybridity of the era.