Artwork
東海道五十三次之内 金谷 大井川遠岸|Kanaya, Oigawa Em Gan
東海道五十三次之内 金谷 大井川遠岸|Kanaya, Oigawa Em Gan is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Utagawa Hiroshige. It dates from 1834 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
This woodblock print, created around 1834, is part of Utagawa Hiroshige's series *The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō*. It depicts a scenic view along the Tōkaidō road.
Subject & Meaning
The print shows the Kanaya area, with the Ōi River winding through flat land and layered mountains in the background. Figures on the riverbanks, some with poles or bundles, add a sense of activity to the otherwise serene landscape.
Technique & Style
Hiroshige used simple shapes and bold colors to convey depth, with dark blues and greens dominating the distant hills. The contrast between the calm river and the moving figures creates a sense of dynamic balance.
History & Provenance
The print is a characteristic example of Hiroshige's landscape ukiyo-e style, which diverged from the typical focus on urban subjects. It is executed in ink and color on paper, in a horizontal format typical of the series.
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.
