Artwork
東海道五十三次 桑名|Kuwana
東海道五十三次 桑名|Kuwana 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
This woodblock print, 'Kuwana', is part of Utagawa Hiroshige's 'The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō' series, created around 1838. It depicts a scene along the historic Tōkaidō road connecting Edo to Kyoto.
Subject & Meaning
The print shows a lively street scene with people engaged in daily activities, surrounded by wooden buildings and signs. A canal with a bridge in the lower right adds to the scene's depth, capturing a moment in the life of a stop along the famous route.
Technique & Style
Rendered in ink and color on paper, 'Kuwana' exemplifies Hiroshige's horizontal-format style and attention to atmospheric detail. Bright colors contrast with muted tones, and numerous small details convey daily routines.
History & Provenance
Utagawa Hiroshige, born Andō Tokutarō in 1797, was a leading ukiyo-e artist known for his landscape-focused works. 'Kuwana' is part of a series that showcased his skill in capturing the essence of places along the Tōkaidō road.
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.
