Artwork
Mishima Asa-Giri|東海道五十三次之内 三島 朝霧|Morning Mist
Mishima Asa-Giri|東海道五十三次之内 三島 朝霧|Morning Mist is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Utagawa Hiroshige. It dates from 1828 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Mishima Asa‑Giri, titled Morning Mist, is a woodblock print executed in ink and color on paper in 1828.
About this work
Overview
Mishima Asa‑Giri, titled Morning Mist, is a woodblock print executed in ink and color on paper in 1828. It forms part of Utagawa Hiroshige’s extensive series The Fifty‑three Stations of the Tōkaidō, which records scenes along the historic coastal highway linking Edo and Kyoto.
Subject & Meaning
The image captures travelers on the road near Mishima, their loads carried in large baskets and bundles, while a rider on horseback leads the procession. Distant trees and a low building frame the composition, and a veil of early‑morning mist softens the landscape, suggesting the quiet routine of travel in the Edo period.
Technique & Style
Hiroshige employs the ukiyo‑e woodblock method, layering ink outlines with muted pigments of blue and green. Subtle gradations of tone convey atmospheric depth, while fine carving renders the figures’ movement. The restrained palette and delicate rendering of mist exemplify the artist’s characteristic focus on landscape ambience rather than urban spectacle.
History & Provenance
Created for the original Tōkaidō series, the print circulated widely in the 1830s as part of a popular travel guide for both Japanese and foreign audiences. Surviving copies are held in several museum collections, reflecting the work’s continued presence in the market for Edo‑period prints.
Context
During the early 19th century, Hiroshige’s Tōkaidō series shifted ukiyo‑e’s emphasis from pleasure‑district scenes to the everyday experience of travel. The misty atmosphere of Mishima Asa‑Giri aligns with contemporary Romantic sensibilities, emphasizing nature’s transient moods.
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.
