Who painted 東海道五十三次川崎|Kawasaki?

東海道五十三次川崎|Kawasaki was painted by Utagawa Hiroshige in 1838.

Where can I see 東海道五十三次川崎|Kawasaki?

東海道五十三次川崎|Kawasaki is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is 東海道五十三次川崎|Kawasaki?

東海道五十三次川崎|Kawasaki is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

東海道五十三次川崎|Kawasaki

Utagawa Hiroshige , 1838

東海道五十三次川崎|Kawasaki is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Utagawa Hiroshige. It dates from 1838 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created circa 1838 by Utagawa Hiroshige, this horizontal woodblock print is one of the fifty-three images that document the stations along the Tōkaidō road.

Created circa 1838 by Utagawa Hiroshige, this horizontal woodblock print is one of the fifty-three images that document the stations along the Tōkaidō road. The scene portrays the Kawasaki post‑station, a riverside locale where travelers, boats, and modest architecture coexist under a prominent tree. The composition balances land and water, offering a snapshot of everyday movement along this historic route.

Subject & Meaning

The image captures a bustling riverside moment: pedestrians in travel gear walk beside a low fence, while a variety of vessels—small rowboats and larger passenger barges—populate the river. A distant bridge spans the water, and simple structures line the bank, suggesting a functional settlement that serves both land‑based and riverine traffic. The work emphasizes the rhythm of travel and commerce rather than dramatic scenery.

Technique & Style

Executed with ink and multiple color blocks on paper, the print employs bold, flat hues and clean outlines characteristic of Hiroshige’s landscape approach. The large tree and expansive river are rendered with minimal detail, allowing the smaller figures and boats to recede, creating a sense of depth through scale. The horizontal format aligns with the series’ standardized layout, reinforcing the continuity of the road’s visual narrative.

History & Provenance

Part of the celebrated series *The Fifty‑three Stations of the Tōkaidō*, the Kawasaki print was produced during the late Edo period, a time when woodblock publishing flourished. Original impressions were distributed as hand‑colored prints for a growing market of travelers and urban collectors. Today, surviving copies are held in major museum collections and continue to be referenced in studies of Edo‑period travel and visual culture.

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.