Artwork

名所江戸百景真間の紅葉手古那の社継はし|Maples at Mama, from the series One Hundred Famous Views of Edo

名所江戸百景真間の紅葉手古那の社継はし|Maples at Mama, from the series One Hundred Famous Views of Edo is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Utagawa Hiroshige. It dates from 1857 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Maples at Mama is a woodblock print from Utagawa Hiroshige's One Hundred Famous Views of Edo series, created circa 1857. Executed in ink and color on paper, this vertical-format landscape print deviates from the typical ukiyo-e focus on urban entertainment, instead capturing a serene natural scene.

Subject & Meaning

The print depicts a tranquil autumnal riverscape in Mama, Edo (modern-day Tokyo), featuring vibrant red and orange maple leaves, a wooden bridge, small boats, distant buildings, and hills set against a soft blue sky. The composition conveys a sense of peaceful coexistence between nature and urban presence.

Technique & Style

Hiroshige employed simple, expressive shapes and a deliberate color gradient to achieve depth: warmer, darker tones in the foreground transition to lighter, cooler hues in the distance. The bold, bright foliage contrasts with muted background tones, emphasizing the seasonal beauty of the maples.

History & Provenance

Created by Utagawa Hiroshige (born Andō Tokutarō in 1797), a renowned ukiyo-e artist celebrated for his landscapes, Maples at Mama is now part of The Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection.

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.