Artwork

Kazusa Yazashi-ga-ura tsumei|六十余州名所図会 上総 矢さしか浦 通名九十九里|Yasashi Beach, known as Kujūkuri, Kazusa Province, from the series Views of Famous Places in the Sixty-Odd Provinces

Kazusa Yazashi-ga-ura tsumei|六十余州名所図会 上総 矢さしか浦 通名九十九里|Yasashi Beach, known as Kujūkuri, Kazusa Province, from the series Views of Famous Places in the Sixty-Odd Provinces, by Utagawa Hiroshige, ink, 1853
Kazusa Yazashi-ga-ura tsumei|六十余州名所図会 上総 矢さしか浦 通名九十九里|Yasashi Beach, known as Kujūkuri, Kazusa Province, from the series Views of Famous Places in the Sixty-Odd Provinces, by Utagawa Hiroshige, ink, 1853

Kazusa Yazashi-ga-ura tsumei|六十余州名所図会 上総 矢さしか浦 通名九十九里|Yasashi Beach, known as Kujūkuri, Kazusa Province, from the series Views of Famous Places in the Sixty-Odd Provinces is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Utagawa Hiroshige. It dates from 1853 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

This woodblock print, created around 1853 by Utagawa Hiroshige, is part of his series Views of Famous Places in the Sixty-Odd Provinces. It depicts a coastal scene in Kazusa Province, showcasing the artist's focus on landscape as a subject.

Subject & Meaning

The print shows a serene beach scene where people in traditional clothing work together to pull a large fishing net filled with fish. Boats sail in the background on a calm sea, under a sky with a gradient of blue and pink hues, evoking a sense of harmony.

Technique & Style

Hiroshige's use of ink and color on paper creates intricate details, such as the texture of the fishing net and the clothing of the fishermen. The composition and color palette contribute to a balanced and harmonious representation of the scene.

History & Provenance

The print is a product of Japan's late Edo period, a time when ukiyo-e typically focused on urban entertainment. Hiroshige's work diverges from this norm, instead emphasizing landscape as a standalone subject.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Utagawa Hiroshige

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.